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Sphaeroceridae
 
 
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Sphaeroceridae are flies in the Order Diptera, Section Schizophora
Schizophora

Schizophora is a section of Diptera 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....
, Superfamily Sphaeroceroidea
Sphaeroceroidea

Sphaeroceroidea is a superfamily of fly. It includes the cosmopolitan families of Sphaeroceridae , Heleomyzidae, and Chyromyidae, as well as a few smaller groups....
 , often called small dung flies.

Sphaeroceridae are a worldwide family of small, usually dull-colored flies.

The larvae are microbial grazers found in abundance wherever there is decomposing organic material. Most species appear to be associated with decaying plants or fungi. Some species, especially cave species , are polysaprophagous.






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Sphaeroceridae are flies in the Order Diptera, Section Schizophora
Schizophora

Schizophora is a section of Diptera 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....
, Superfamily Sphaeroceroidea
Sphaeroceroidea

Sphaeroceroidea is a superfamily of fly. It includes the cosmopolitan families of Sphaeroceridae , Heleomyzidae, and Chyromyidae, as well as a few smaller groups....
 , often called small dung flies.

Sphaeroceridae are a worldwide family of small, usually dull-colored flies.

The larvae are microbial grazers found in abundance wherever there is decomposing organic material. Most species appear to be associated with decaying plants or fungi. Some species, especially cave species , are polysaprophagous. Many species are associated with various kinds of faeces, hence the common name Lesser or Small Dung-flies. There are a few corpse-feeding species. These are extremely abundant and are important components of the carrion-insect community.They are also post mortem interval
Post mortem interval

Post mortem interval is the time that has elapsed since a person has death. If the time in question is not known, a number of medical/scientific techniques are used to determine it....
 indicators in forensic entomology
Forensic entomology

Forensic entomology is the application and study of insect and other arthropod biology to criminal matters. Forensic entomology is primarily associated with death investigations however it may also be used to detect drugs and poisons, determine the location of an incident, the length of a period of neglect in the elderly or children and the p...
. Despite their ubiquity and abundance, little is known about the economic or ecological
Ecology

Ecology is the science study of the distribution and Abundance of life and the interactions between organisms and their nature environment ....
 impact of sphaerocerids.

They have been implicated as the major means by which nematodes
Nematode

The "roundworms" or "nematodes" are the most diverse phylum of body cavity, and one of the most diverse of all animals. Nematode species are very difficult to distinguish; over 80,000 have been described, of which over 15,000 are parasite....
 are disseminated among mushroom houses. They occasionally reach nuisance levels in food-processing plants and other buildings.

As their microbe-associated habits suggest, sphaerocerids carry many pathogenic microorganisms but their reclusive habits preclude a major role in disease transmission but some for this reason present a public health
Public health

Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals." It is concerned with threats to the overall health of a community based on population health analysis....
 hazard.

One species, Poecilosomella angulata, has been implicated in human intestinal myiasis (Micks & McKibbon 1956).

Sphaerocerids that abound in economically important decomposer communities such as compost and manure, and some decay cycles such as the wrack cycle (seaweed) are mediated by sphaerocerid-dominated insect communities.

Picture of Leptocera limosa (Fallén
Fallen

Fallen may refer to:*Fallen angels, angels that have been exiled or banished from Heaven*Fallen Footwear, the footwear brand that sponsors skateboarders Chris Cole and Jamie Thomas...
 ,1820) a typical sphaerocerid

Important Works on Sphaeroceridae

Identification

  • Oswald Duda
    Oswald Duda

    Oswald Duda , full name Pavel Theodor Friedrich Oswald Duda was a Germany entomologist mainly interested in Diptera.Duda was born in Silesia 11 April 1869....
    ,1938. 57. Sphaeroceridae (Cypselidae). In Lindner, E. (ed.): Die Fliegen der palaearktischen Region Vol.6, 182 pp., E. Schweizerbart.sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, Stuttgart.
  • Scientific papers by Theodor Becker
    Theodor Becker

    Theodor Becker was a Germany civil engineer and entomologist primarily known for his work with fly.He worked with Paul Stein , Mario Bezzi, and K?lm?n Kert?sz on Katalog der Pal?arktischen dipteren published in Budapest from 1903....
  • Pitkin, B. R. (1988). Lesser dung flies. Diptera: Sphaeroceridae. Handbooks for the Identification of British insects 10(5e). London: Royal Entomological Society. ISBN 0-901546-67-4
  • Richards, 0. W. (1930). The British species of Sphaeroceridae (Borboridae:Diptera). Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 18, 261-345.


See also this down-loadable pdf Bibliography

Species lists









External links