Diagnosis. Very small to small (1-6 mm), dark coloured and relatively robust acalyptrate flies. Chaetotaxy variable, setae reduced in Sphaerocerinae but rich in Limosininae. Head with relatively high genae; frons with distinct interfrontalia. Wing with two costal breaks; Sc reduced; venation relatively complete in Sphaerocerinae and Copromyzinae but reduced in Limosininae; brachyptery occurs. Adults are best characterised by distinctly swollen hind basitarsus enabling skipping.
Biology. Larvae and adults of all species are saprophagous. The larvae develop in decaying organic matter but seem to feed on micro-organisms that destroy rotting plants, dung, carrion or fungi. Adults occur in habitats with rich supply of breeding media of larvae and can be found on decaying matter of plant (grass, moss, compost, wood debris, leaf litter, mud, littoral debris, fungi etc.) and animal origin (dung, manure, carrion), preferably in damp habitats. A few species are partly synanthropic and some may cause nuisance when overpopulating in rotting offal or in manure near human dwellings and can then occur also indoors. Many coprophagous species are associated with hoofed animals; they often form large populations on pastures and dung heaps near stables.
General references. Han & Kim (1990 [Ischiolepta]), Kim & Han (1990 [Lotobia]), Marshall & Richards (1987 [general, key to genera, Nearctic]), Marshall & Roháček (1984 [Telomerina]), Norrbom & Kim (1984 [Lotophila], 1985a [Alloborborus, Crumomyia], 1985b [Copromyza]), Papp (1973 [general, keys], 1983 [Elachisoma], 1984c [catalogue], 2008a [Coproica]), Pitkin (1988 [general, keys]), Roháček (1982a [Leptocera], 1982b [Opacifrons s.l., key], 1982c, 1983a, 1983b, and 1985 [former Limosina], 1991 [Rachispoda], 1993 [Herniosina, Minilimosina], 1998c [general, keys to Palaearctic genera]), Roháček & Florén (1987 [Sphaerocera]), Roháček & Marshall (1982 [Puncticorpus], 1986 [Trachyopella], 1988 [Minilimosina], 2000 [Thoracochaeta]), Roháček & Papp (1988 [Paralimosina]).
References to the local fauna. Haelewaters et al. (2012a), 2012b, Meuffels (1970), Theowald (1952d), Van der Wulp (1866), Van der Wulp & De Meijere (1898).
Remarks. The number of species in the world taken from Marshall et al. (2011).
How to quote this page: Roháček, J., & P.L.Th. Beuk, 2023. Family Sphaeroceridae. In: Beuk, P.L.Th. (Ed.): Checklist of the Diptera of the Netherlands, https://diptera-info.nl/news.php?fam=Sphaeroceridae (date accessed: 13/06/2026).
NL: 94
B: 102
D: 77
UK: 113
World: 1550
SPHAEROCERIDAE
COPROMYZINAE
Alloborborus Duda, 1933
pallifrons (Fallén, 1820)
N; first recorded by Norrbom & Kim (1985: 221)
Borborillus Duda, 1923
uncinatus (Duda, 1923)
vitripennis (Meigen, 1830)
Copromyza Fallén, 1810
equina Fallén, 1820
nigrina (Gimmerthal, 1847)
= similis (Collin, 1930)
stercoraria (Meigen, 1830)
Crumomyia Macquart, 1835
fimetaria (Meigen, 1830)
glabrifrons (Meigen, 1830)
nigra (Meigen, 1830)
nitida (Meigen, 1830)
pedestris (Meigen, 1830)
roserii (Rondani, 1880)
Lotophila Lioy, 1864
atra (Meigen, 1830)
Norrbomia Papp, 1988
costalis (Zetterstedt, 1847)
= opacifrons (Duda, 1923)
nitidifrons (Duda, 1923)
sordida (Zetterstedt, 1847)
LIMOSININAE
Apteromyia Vimmer, 1929
claviventris (Strobl, 1909)
Bifronsina Roháček, 1983
Note 1
bifrons (Stenhammar, 1855)
Chaetopodella Duda, 1920
scutellaris (Haliday, 1836)
Coproica Rondani, 1861
acutangula (Zetterstedt, 1847)
ferruginata (Stenhammar, 1855)
hirticula Collin, 1956
N; added by Van Zuijlen & Roháček (2020: 365) & Mol et al. (2020: 133)
hirtula (Rondani, 1880)
lugubris (Haliday, 1836)
vagans (Haliday, 1833)
Elachisoma Rondani, 1880
aterrimum (Haliday, 1833)
pilosum (Duda, 1924)
N; added by Van Zuijlen & Roháček (2020: 365) & Mol et al. (2020: 133)
Eulimosina Roháček, 1983
Note 1
ochripes (Meigen, 1830)
Gonioneura Rondani, 1860
= Halidayina Duda, 1918
spinipennis (Haliday, 1836)
Herniosina Roháček, 1983
bequaerti (Villeneuve, 1917)
T
Leptocera Olivier, 1813
caenosa (Rondani, 1880)
fontinalis (Fallén, 1826)
nigra Olivier, 1813
oldenbergi (Duda, 1918)
added by Theowald (1952d: 131)
Limosina Macquart, 1835
silvatica (Meigen, 1830)
Minilimosina Roháček, 1983
subg. Minilimosina Roháček, 1983
fungicola (Haliday, 1836)
Note 2
gemella Roháček, 1983
added as gemelli by Van Zuijlen & Roháček (2020: 365) & Mol et al. (2020: 133)
= gemelli Roháček, 1983: incorrect spelling
parvula (Stenhammar, 1855)
added by Van Zuijlen & Roháček (2020: 365) & Mol et al. (2020: 133)
subg. Svarciella Roháček, 1983
vitripennis (Zetterstedt, 1847)
Opacifrons Duda, 1918
coxata (Stenhammar, 1855)
Opalimosina Roháček, 1983
subg. Opalimosina Roháček, 1983
collini (Richards, 1929)
N; added by Van Zuijlen & Roháček (2020: 365) & Mol et al. (2020: 133)
mirabilis (Collin, 1902)
simplex (Richards, 1929)
N; first recorded in original checklist (Roháček & Beuk, 2002)
Note 3
subg. Pappiella Roháček, 1983
liliputana (Rondani, 1880)
Paralimosina Papp, 1973
fucata (Rondani, 1880)
N; added by Van Zuijlen & Roháček (2020: 365) & Mol et al. (2020: 133)
Phthitia Enderlein, 1938
subg. Alimosina Roháček, 1983
empirica (Hutton, 1901)
subg. Kimosina Roháček, 1983
longisetosa (Dahl, 1909)
plumosula (Rondani, 1880)
Pseudocollinella Duda, 1924
Note 4
= Opacifrons Duda, 1918
humida (Haliday, 1836)
Pteremis Rondani, 1856
fenestralis (Fallén, 1820)
Pullimosina Roháček, 1983
subg. Pullimosina Roháček, 1983
heteroneura (Haliday, 1836)
meijerei (Duda, 1918)
T
moesta (Villeneuve, 1918)
added as antennata by Meuffels (1970: 124)
Note 5
= antennata (Duda, 1918)
pullula (Zetterstedt, 1847)
vulgesta Roháček, 2001
Note 6
= moesta (Villeneuve, 1918): misident. sensu auct.
Puncticorpus Duda, 1918
cribratum (Villeneuve, 1918)
Rachispoda Lioy, 1864
= Leptocera Olivier, 1813
breviceps (Stenhammar, 1855)
Note 2
fuscipennis (Haliday, 1833)
limosa (Fallén, 1820)
lutosa (Stenhammar, 1855)
lutosoidea (Duda, 1938)
N; added by Van Zuijlen & Roháček (2020: 365) & Mol et al. (2020: 133)
pseudohostica (Duda, 1924)
N; added by Van Zuijlen & Roháček (2020: 365) & Mol et al. (2020: 133)
Spelobia Spuler, 1924
clunipes (Meigen, 1830)
czizeki (Duda, 1918)
N; first recorded in original checklist (Roháček & Beuk, 2002)
Note 7
luteilabris (Rondani, 1880)
Note 8
manicata (Richards, 1927)
N; added by Van Zuijlen & Roháček (2020: 365) & Mol et al. (2020: 133)
nana (Rondani, 1880)
palmata (Richards, 1927)
N; added by Van Zuijlen & Roháček (2020: 365) & Mol et al. (2020: 133)
parapusio (Dahl, 1909)
pseudonivalis (Dahl, 1909)
rufilabris (Stenhammar, 1855)
simplicipes (Duda, 1925)
talparum (Richards, 1927)
N; first recorded by Haelewaters et al. (2012a: 92 and 2012b: 177)
Note 9
Telomerina Roháček, 1983
eburnea Roháček, 1983
N; added by Van Zuijlen & Roháček (2020: 365) & Mol et al. (2020: 133)
flavipes (Meigen, 1830)
N
pseudoleucoptera (Duda, 1924)
T
Terrilimosina Roháček, 1983
racovitzai (Bezzi, 1911)
schmitzi (Duda, 1918)
Thoracochaeta Duda, 1918
brachystoma (Stenhammar, 1855)
zosterae (Haliday, 1833)
Trachyopella Duda, 1918
atomus (Rondani, 1880)
coprina (Duda, 1918)
leucoptera (Haliday, 1836)
N; added by Van Zuijlen & Roháček (2020: 365) & Mol et al. (2020: 133)
lineafrons (Spuler, 1925)
N; added by Van Zuijlen & Roháček (2020: 365) & Mol et al. (2020: 133)
melania (Haliday, 1836)
SPHAEROCERINAE
Ischiolepta Lioy, 1864
denticulata (Meigen, 1830)
N; added by De Bree et al. (2018: 35)
micropyga (Duda, 1938)
nitida (Duda, 1920)
pusilla (Fallén, 1820)
scabricula (Haliday, 1836)
N; added by De Bree et al. (2018: 35)
Note 10
vaporariorum (Haliday, 1836)
Note 11
Lotobia Lioy, 1864
pallidiventris (Meigen, 1830)
added by De Bree et al. (2018: 36)
Sphaerocera Latreille, 1804
= Borborus Meigen, 1803:
curvipes Latreille, 1805
= subsultans (Linnaeus, 1767): misident. sensu auct.
monilis (Haliday, 1836)
N; added by De Bree et al. (2018: 37)
Note 12
Deleted species
Coproica Rondani, 1861
pusio (Zetterstedt, 1847)
Note 13
Crumomyia Macquart, 1835
glacialis (Meigen, 1830)
Note 14
Norrbomia Papp, 1988
fumipennis (Stenhammar, 1855)
Note 15
Notes
Note 1
The former subgenus of Spelobia was raised to generic level by Papp (2008b).
Note 2
Identity needs confirmation.
Note 3
Material examined: NOORD-BRABANT: Udenhout (de Brand, 1 [f]: leg. Ins.W.G. KNNV-Tilburg [BEUK], det. P.L.Th. Beuk.
Note 4
The name was erroneously spelled as Pseudocolliniella in the original checklist (Roháček & Beuk, 2002).
Note 5
Erroneously listed under its synonym name in the original checklist (Roháček & Beuk, 2002). A note in the original checklist stated that the identity of the species listed needed confirmation. Recently collected material of this species was identfied by de second author.
Note 6
A note in the original checklist (Roháček & Beuk, 2002) stated that the identity of the species listed needed confirmation. Recently collected material of this species was identfied by de second author.
The species was formally recorded by Haelewaters et al. (2012b) but Haelewaters et al. (2012a), recording the same species, was published about three weeks earlier.
Additional material examined: LIMBURG: Voerendaal (pitfall Kunderberg [1951-3192]: 5 [m], 4 [f], 11-31.viii.2005, leg. Stichting Bargerveen [BEUK ALC]; 4 [m], 2 [f], 31.viii-28.ix.2005, leg. Stichting Bargerveen [BEUK ALC]); Wijlre (pitfall Wrakelberg [1920-3178]: 8 [m], 20 [f], 25.iv-16.v.2005, leg. Stichting Bargerveen [BEUK ALC]; 3 [m], 11 [f], 6-27.vi.2005, leg. Stichting Bargerveen [BEUK ALC]; 2 [m], 19.vii-10.viii.2005, leg. Stichting Bargerveen [BEUK ALC]).
Note 10
Additional material examined: Material examined: LIMBURG: Eijsden (Lemoen [1783-3103], on rabbit dung, 1 [f]: 1.vii.2012, leg. P.L.Th. Beuk [NHMM ALC]; 1 [f]: 29.vii.2012, leg. P.L.Th. Beuk [NHMM ALC]).
Note 11
The identity needs to be confirmed since identifications were based on old literature.
Note 12
Additional material examined: LIMBURG: Maastricht (Natuurhistorisch Museum [1761-3172], indoors, 1 [f]: 21.iv.2014, leg. P.L.Th. Beuk [NHMM ALC]), Vlodrop (6 km E. of Herkenbosch: Crayhof[, N-rand broekbos bij Roode Beek] [208.75-351.35]: 1 [m]: 26-31.viii.2013, Leg. T. Lenders, Malaise trap [NHMM ALC]); ZUID-HOLLAND: Scheveningen (Doornpark [078-457], 23.iii.2003, leg. A. Deelman [BEUK]).
Note 13
Not indigenous. This species was once recorded from the Netherlands but later listed as misidentification of Opacifrons coxata. Older authors recorded under Limosina pusio a number of different species. The records by Van der Wulp (1866: 192[292]), Van der Wulp & De Meijere (1898: 135), and Schmitz (1909: 81) from the Netherlands most probably are Opacifrons coxata, surely not Coproica, as older authors did not recognize Coproica pusio from related C. lugubris. Material needs to be checked to confirm whether all preciously recorded material belongs to O. coxata.
Note 14
Not indigenous, may be C. notabilis or C. rohaceki.
Note 15
Not indigenous, records most probably refer to N. costalis.
The latest revisions at different levels
Limosinidae was the last (sub)family to be edited on 18-11-2013 22:07
Paralimosina was the last (sub)genus to be edited on 31-05-2023 18:06
Trachyopella lineafrons was the last (sub)species to be edited on 31-05-2023 18:13
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