Arthropods • Earth.com

Megaselia scalaris

(Megaselia scalaris)

Description

The fly Megaselia scalaris (laboratory fly) is a member of the order Diptera and the family Phoridae, and it is widely distributed in warm regions of the world. The family members are commonly known as the "humpbacked fly", the "coffin fly", and the "scuttle fly". The name "scuttle fly" derives from the jerky, short bursts of running, characteristic to the adult fly. The name "coffin fly" is due to their being found in coffins, digging six feet deep in order to reach buried corpses. It is one of the more common species found within the family Phoridae; more than 370 species have been identified within North America.

Taxonomic tree:

Domain:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum:
Class: Insecta
Order:Diptera
Family:Phoridae
Genus:Megaselia
News coming your way
The biggest news about our planet delivered to you each day