Flesh-fly
Encyclopedia
Flies of the Diptera
family Sarcophagidae (from the Greek
σάρκο sarco- = flesh
, φάγε phage = eating; the same roots as the word "sarcophagus
") are commonly known as flesh flies. Most flesh flies breed in carrion
, dung, or decaying material, but a few species lay their eggs in the open wounds of mammals; hence their common name. Some flesh fly larvae are internal parasites
of other insects. These larvae, commonly known as maggot
s, live for about 5–10 days, before descending into the soil
and maturing into adult
hood. At that stage, they live for 5–7 days.
Antennae
3-segmented, with an arista
; vein Rs 2-branched, frontal suture
present, calypter
s well developed. Medium-sized flies with black and gray longitudinal stripes on the thorax
and checkering on the abdomen
. Arista commonly plumose on basal half; bare in a few species. Four notopleural bristles (short, long, short, long, from front to rear). Hindmost posthumeral bristle located even with or toward midline from presutural bristle.
The family contains three subfamilies, the Miltogramminae
, the Paramacronychiinae and the Sarcophaginae, containing between them 108 genera
. Flesh-flies are quite closely related to the family Calliphoridae, which belongs to the same (large) infraorder, the Muscomorpha
, and includes species such as the blowfly that have similar habits to the flesh-flies.
piles and pit latrine
s.
Flesh-flies, being viviparous, frequently give birth to live young on corpses of human and other animals, at any stage of decomposition from recently dead through to bloated or decaying (though the latter is more common).
The life cycle
of flesh-fly larvae has been well researched and is very predictable. Different species prefer bodies in different states of decomposition, and the specific preferences and predictable life cycle timings allows forensic entomologists to understand the progress of decomposition and enables the calculation of the time of death by back extrapolation. This is done by determining the oldest larva of each species present, measuring the ambient temperature and from these values, calculating the earliest possible date and time for deposition of larvae. This yields an approximate time and date of death (d.o.d.) This evidence can be used in forensic entomology
investigations and may assist in identification of a corpse by matching the calculated time of death with reports of missing persons. Such evidence has also been used to help identify murder
ers.
bacilli and can transmit intestinal pseudomyiasis to people who eat the flesh-fly larvae. Flesh-flies, particularly Wohlfahrtia magnifica
, can also cause myiasis
in animals, mostly to sheep, and can give them blood poisoning, or asymptomatic leprosy infections.
Diptera
Diptera , or true flies, is the order of insects possessing only a single pair of wings on the mesothorax; the metathorax bears a pair of drumstick like structures called the halteres, the remnants of the hind wings. It is a large order, containing an estimated 240,000 species, although under half...
family Sarcophagidae (from the Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
σάρκο sarco- = flesh
Flesh
In vertebrate animals, flesh is the colloquial for biological tissue which consists of skeletal muscles and fat as opposed to bones, viscera and integuments. Flesh may be used as food, in which case it is called meat....
, φάγε phage = eating; the same roots as the word "sarcophagus
Sarcophagus
A sarcophagus is a funeral receptacle for a corpse, most commonly carved or cut from stone. The word "sarcophagus" comes from the Greek σαρξ sarx meaning "flesh", and φαγειν phagein meaning "to eat", hence sarkophagus means "flesh-eating"; from the phrase lithos sarkophagos...
") are commonly known as flesh flies. Most flesh flies breed in carrion
Carrion
Carrion refers to the carcass of a dead animal. Carrion is an important food source for large carnivores and omnivores in most ecosystems. Examples of carrion-eaters include vultures, hawks, eagles, hyenas, Virginia Opossum, Tasmanian Devils, coyotes, Komodo dragons, and burying beetles...
, dung, or decaying material, but a few species lay their eggs in the open wounds of mammals; hence their common name. Some flesh fly larvae are internal parasites
Parasitism
Parasitism is a type of symbiotic relationship between organisms of different species where one organism, the parasite, benefits at the expense of the other, the host. Traditionally parasite referred to organisms with lifestages that needed more than one host . These are now called macroparasites...
of other insects. These larvae, commonly known as maggot
Maggot
In everyday speech the word maggot means the larva of a fly ; it is applied in particular to the larvae of Brachyceran flies, such as houseflies, cheese flies, and blowflies, rather than larvae of the Nematocera, such as mosquitoes and Crane flies...
s, live for about 5–10 days, before descending into the soil
Soil
Soil is a natural body consisting of layers of mineral constituents of variable thicknesses, which differ from the parent materials in their morphological, physical, chemical, and mineralogical characteristics...
and maturing into adult
Adult
An adult is a human being or living organism that is of relatively mature age, typically associated with sexual maturity and the attainment of reproductive age....
hood. At that stage, they live for 5–7 days.
Characteristics
Antenna (biology)
Antennae in biology have historically been paired appendages used for sensing in arthropods. More recently, the term has also been applied to cilium structures present in most cell types of eukaryotes....
3-segmented, with an arista
Antenna (biology)
Antennae in biology have historically been paired appendages used for sensing in arthropods. More recently, the term has also been applied to cilium structures present in most cell types of eukaryotes....
; vein Rs 2-branched, frontal suture
Schizophora
Schizophora is a section of true flies containing 78 families, which are collectively referred to as muscoids, even though - technically - the term "muscoid" should be limited to flies in the superfamily Muscoidea; this is an example of informal, historical usage persisting in the vernacular...
present, calypter
Calypter
A calypter is either of two posterior lobes of the posterior margin of the forewing of flies between the extreme posterior wing base and the alula, which covers the halteres....
s well developed. Medium-sized flies with black and gray longitudinal stripes on the thorax
Thorax (insect anatomy)
The thorax is the mid section of the insect body. It holds the head, legs, wings and abdomen. It is also called mesosoma in other arthropods....
and checkering on the abdomen
Abdomen
In vertebrates such as mammals the abdomen constitutes the part of the body between the thorax and pelvis. The region enclosed by the abdomen is termed the abdominal cavity...
. Arista commonly plumose on basal half; bare in a few species. Four notopleural bristles (short, long, short, long, from front to rear). Hindmost posthumeral bristle located even with or toward midline from presutural bristle.
The family contains three subfamilies, the Miltogramminae
Miltogramminae
Miltogramminae is a subfamily of the family Sarcophagidae.-Genera:*Aenigmetopia*Alusomyia*Ambouya*Amobia*Apodacra*Beludzhia*Chaetapodacra*Chivamyia*Craticulina*Dolichotachina*Eremasiomyia...
, the Paramacronychiinae and the Sarcophaginae, containing between them 108 genera
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
. Flesh-flies are quite closely related to the family Calliphoridae, which belongs to the same (large) infraorder, the Muscomorpha
Muscomorpha
The Brachyceran infraorder Muscomorpha is a large and diverse group of flies, containing the bulk of the Brachycera, and, in fact, most of the known flies. It includes a number of the most familiar flies, such as the housefly, the fruit fly and the blowfly. The antennae are short, usually...
, and includes species such as the blowfly that have similar habits to the flesh-flies.
Biology
Flesh-fly maggots occasionally eat other larvae although this is usually because the other larvae are smaller and get in the way. Flesh-flies and their larvae are also known to eat decaying vegetable matter and excrement and they may be found around compostCompost
Compost is organic matter that has been decomposed and recycled as a fertilizer and soil amendment. Compost is a key ingredient in organic farming. At its most essential, the process of composting requires simply piling up waste outdoors and waiting for the materials to break down from anywhere...
piles and pit latrine
Latrine
A latrine is a communal facility containing one or more commonly many toilets which may be simple pit toilets or in the case of the United States Armed Forces any toilet including modern flush toilets...
s.
Flesh-flies, being viviparous, frequently give birth to live young on corpses of human and other animals, at any stage of decomposition from recently dead through to bloated or decaying (though the latter is more common).
The life cycle
Biological life cycle
A life cycle is a period involving all different generations of a species succeeding each other through means of reproduction, whether through asexual reproduction or sexual reproduction...
of flesh-fly larvae has been well researched and is very predictable. Different species prefer bodies in different states of decomposition, and the specific preferences and predictable life cycle timings allows forensic entomologists to understand the progress of decomposition and enables the calculation of the time of death by back extrapolation. This is done by determining the oldest larva of each species present, measuring the ambient temperature and from these values, calculating the earliest possible date and time for deposition of larvae. This yields an approximate time and date of death (d.o.d.) This evidence can be used in forensic entomology
Forensic entomology
Forensic entomology is the application and study of insect and other arthropod biology to criminal matters. It is primarily associated with death investigations; however, it may also be used to detect drugs and poisons, determine the location of an incident, and find the presence and time of the...
investigations and may assist in identification of a corpse by matching the calculated time of death with reports of missing persons. Such evidence has also been used to help identify murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
ers.
Association with disease
Flesh-flies can carry leprosyLeprosy
Leprosy or Hansen's disease is a chronic disease caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium lepromatosis. Named after physician Gerhard Armauer Hansen, leprosy is primarily a granulomatous disease of the peripheral nerves and mucosa of the upper respiratory tract; skin lesions...
bacilli and can transmit intestinal pseudomyiasis to people who eat the flesh-fly larvae. Flesh-flies, particularly Wohlfahrtia magnifica
Wohlfahrtia magnifica
Wohlfahrtia magnifica, the spotted flesh fly, or sometimes called the screwworm fly, though species of flies from other families go by this name. It is a species of fly belonging to the family Sarcophagidae...
, can also cause myiasis
Myiasis
Myiasis is a general term for infection by parasitic fly larvae feeding on the host's necrotic or living tissue. Colloquialisms for myiasis include flystrike, blowfly strike, and fly-blown. In Greek, "myia" means fly....
in animals, mostly to sheep, and can give them blood poisoning, or asymptomatic leprosy infections.
Identification
Generally only males of this family can be identified, and then only by examination of dissected genitalia. The literature is incomplete or scattered for all regions. References include:- Rokuro Kano; Gordon Field; Satoshi Shinonaga Fauna Japonica: Sarcophagidae (Insecta: Diptera)Biogeographical Society of Japan; distributor: Tokyo Electrical Engineering College Press, 1967.In English.
- Downes, W. L., Jr. Family Sarcophagidae in Stone, A. et al. A catalog of the Diptera of America north of Mexico United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. 1965.
- Lehrer, A.Z. . Sarcophaginae et Paramacronychiinae du Proche Orient(Insecta, Diptera, Sarcophagidae). Pensoft Series Faunistica 60, ISSN 1312-0174. ISBN 9546422819, Pensoft Publishers, Sofia-Moscow, 165x240, keys, species descriptions, b/w drawings and photos, references, index. In French.(2006).
- Lehrer, A.Z., Sarcophaginae de l'Afrique (Insecta, Diptera, Sarcophagidae) In: Entomolgica, Bari, 37(2003):5-528 (in French)
- Pape, T. The Sarcophagidae (Diptera) of Fennoscandia and Denmark. Fauna Entomologica ScandinavicaFauna Entomologica ScandinavicaFauna Entomologica Scandinavica is a scientific book series of entomological identification manuals for insects in North-West Europe, mainly Fennoscandia and Denmark. The series is used by a number of groups, such as ecologists, biologists, and insect collectors...
, 19 . Hardback 203 pp., 2 col. plates, 424 figures, in English,1987. ISBN 90-04-08184-4 - Pape, T. 1998. Sarcophagidae. - pp. 649–678 in: Papp, L. & Darvas, B. (eds), Contributions to a manual of Palaearctic/European Diptera. Science Herald; Budapest.
- Pape, T. 1996. Catalogue of the Sarcophagidae of the world (Insecta: Diptera).Memoirs of Entomology International 8: 1-558.
- Rohdendorf, B. B.Boris Borisovitsch RohdendorfBoris Borissovich Rohdendorf was a Russianentomologist and curator at the Zoological Museum at the University of Moscow. He attained the position of head of the Laboratory of Arthropods, Paleontological Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences, Academy of Sciences of the USSR in Moscow...
Family Sarcophagidae in Bei-Bienko, G. Ya. Keys to the Insects of the European part of the USSR Fauna SSR (NS) 12: xv, 1-496. [In Russian; English translation 1988, pp. 1021–1096; Washington, D.C.] - Rohdendorf, B. B., 1930-1975 Sarcophaginae,in Lindner, E. Fliegen die Palaearktischen Region. 11 64h, 1-232;1985, 64h. Sarcophaginae (Lieferung 330) 1-297;1993 64h. Sarcophaginae (Lieferung 331) 1-441 , 90 Abbildungen (figures).
- Venturi, F., 1960. Sistematica e geonemia dei Sarcofagidi (escl. Sarcophaga s.l.) italiani (Diptera). Frustula Entomologica, 2 (7): 1-124.
- Verves, Yu.G., 1986. Family Sarcophagidae. In: Soós Á. & Papp L. (eds.), Catalogue of Palaearctic Diptera, 12. Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest - Elsevier, Amsterdam: 58-193
Catalogues
- Pape, T. 1996. Catalogue of the Sarcophagidae of the world (Insecta: Diptera). Memoirs of Entomology International 8: 1-558.
- Lehrer, A.Z., 2000, Le système taxonomique des Sarcophaginae afrotropicales (Diptera, Sarcophagidae). Entomologica, Bari, 34:41-63.
- Lehrer, A.Z., 2003, Sarcophaginae de l'Afrique (Insecta, Diptera, Sarcophagidae). Entomologica, Bari, 37:5-528.
Species lists
External links
- Pape, T. & Carlberg, U. (2001 onwards), A pictorial guide to the Sarcophagidae of the world (Insecta: Diptera).
- "Sarcophagidae Central" Overview,Identification Annotated bibliography etc.
- The Definitive website Thomas Pape
- Flesh Fly: Sarcophaga sp. Diagnostic photographs, descriptions and information; female specimen
- Flesh Fly: Bellieria sp. Photographs, descriptions and information; female specimen
- Family description and images
- Images from Diptera info
- Fly morphology
- Key to the Calyptrate families
- Useful site for diagnostic features. In easily understood French