Snail-eating flies

Code QD459999

Sciomyzidae larvae have the head capsule reduced to a cephalic skeleton, in which there is a ventral arch connecting the mouth hooks on each side. The rather similar Ephydrid and Muscid larvae lack this ventral arch. The paired posterior spiracles are at the apices of branches arising from a single base on the last segment. Most relaxed sciomyzid larvae have thoracic segments more elongate than the abdominal ones.

Sciomyzid larvae feed on terrestrial and aquatic snails (and aquatic clams). Some of those that kill and consume more than one snail (up to 40) may be collected in aquatic samples when moving between hosts. Others feed on snail eggs and may be encountered in samples. In Europe and Africa, many life histories are known because sciomyzids are potential biocontrol agents for schistosome harbouring aquatic molluscs. Australian life histories are little known.