Code QD419999

This large family demonstrates a wide range of larval biologies, although rather few are aquatic. Although no aquatic Phoridae are known from Australia, the prevalence of their preferred aquatic habitat (containers) suggests that they may occur here. Containers used include bamboo internodes, pitcher plants pitchers and plant axils. Larvae may be fully immersed or meniscus dwellers.

Phoridae larvae are very diverse in their morphology, but are evidently "higher flies" based on the reduction of the head to a cephalo-pharyngeal skeleton, comprising mouth-hooks (mandibles). The body shape ranges from cylindrical to strongly flattened, with or without setose protuberances. The posterior spiracles are either slightly separated or contiguous, and usually situated at the apex of a conical dorsal projection from segment 8 or exceptionally on a siphon-like extension of the abdominal segment 8.