Phorids are very small flies that are easily recognized by the small head and prominent pronotum, giving them a humpbacked appearance. Only the veins toward the foremargins of the wings are thickened; the others are weak and are not connected by cross veins. The hind femora are laterally flattened. The larvae are slightly flattened larvae and up to 4 mm long (www.entomology.ucr.edu).

The definitive work on aquatic Phoridae is by Disney (1991). Two synanthropic cosmopolitan phorids (Dohmiphora cornuta and Megaselia rufipes) inhabit trickling sanitation filterbeds, and may be commonly encountered public restrooms and homes. Dohrniphora cornuta (Bigot), which is probably tropical in origin but has been transported around the world, has been found in the pitcher-plant species Sarracenia flava L. (Disney 1991) and thus may be found in our native S.purpurea L. (Sarraceniaceae). Megaselia orestes Borgmeier has also been found breeding in the western pitcher-plant species Darlingtonia californica (Torrey) (Disney 1991), but this is a western plant species and I am unaware of any records of this fly from Michigan.

Dohrniphora Dahl 1898

Dohrniphora cornuta (Bigot), 1857 Phora

Megaselia Rondani, 1856

Megaselia orestes Borgmeier, 1966
Megaselia rufipes (Meigen), 1804 Trineura

age created: February 02, 2003 (EB)
Past last reviewed: February 12, 2003 (EB)