Lucilia sp.
Photograph courtesy of Hamish Robertson, South African Museum

The Blowflies (Diptera: Calliphoridae) of Southern Africa

Compiled by Martin H. Villet

Department of Zoology & Entomology, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, 6140 South Africa

© Copyright of this page belongs to the author.
Yours is the access since 1st July 2000

INTRODUCTION

The larvae of many blowflies feed on dead or even live animals, making these flies significant for veterinary, medical and forensic science. Information about flies and their biology can be obtained from

The Diptera Page of The Tree of Life

Species with green markers are found in South Africa; those with yellow markers are not. Synonyms are flagged with red markers.

Family: CALLIPHORIDAE

Tribe: CALLIPHORINI

  1. Genus: PHUMOSIA Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830
    1. P. nudiuscula (Bigot, 1887)
      Pollenia nudiuscula Bigot, 1887: 596
      = Paratricyclea nudiscula ssp. moerens Villeneuve 1936: 8
      Eastern Cape, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Guateng, to Zimbabwe

    2. P. nigroviolacea (Villeneuve, 1916)
      Paratricyclea nigroviolacea Villeneuve, 1916: 152
      Western Cape

    3. P. biplaga (Villeneuve, 1914)
      Paratricyclea biplaga Villeneuve, 1914: 385
      Mpumalanga, Northern Province, to Zimbabwe, Malawi

    4. P. lutescens (Villeneuve, 1916)
      Paratricyclea lutescens Villeneuve, 1916: 155
      = Paratricyclea nana Zumpt 1953: 74
      Northern Province, to Zimbabwe, Kenya, Dahomey

    5. P. stabulans (Bezzi, 1908)
      Pollenia stabulans Bezzi, 1908: 80
      ?= Somalia enigmatica Hough 1898: 181
      = Paratricyclea consor Villeneuve 1916: 152
      KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, to Uganda, Eritrea


  2. Genus: HEMIPYRELLIA Townsend, 1918
    1. H. fernandica (Macquart, 1855)
      Lucilia fernandica Macquart, 1855: 132
      = Lucialia taeniops Bigot 1859: 542
      = Lucilia assinensis Bigot 1891: 380
      = Hemipyrellia curriei Townsend 1918: 154
      Eastern Cape, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Gauteng, Northern Province, Northwest Province, to Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Gabon


  3. Genus: LUCILIA Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830
    1. L. sericata (Meigen, 1826)
      Musca sericata Meigen, 1826: 53
      = Musca nobilis Meigen 1826: 56
      = Musca tegularia Wiedemann 1830: 655
      = Chrysomyia capensis Robineau-Desvoidy 1830: 451
      = Lucilia modesta Robineau-Desvoidy 1830: 454
      = Lucilia pubescens Robineau-Desvoidy 1830: 454
      = Lucilia calida Robineau-Desvoidy 1830: 464
      = Musca pruinosa Meigen 1830: 294
      = Lucilia chloris Haliday 1833: 165
      = Lucilia flavipennis Macquart 1842: 296 (nec Kramer)
      = Lucilia basalis Macquart 1842: 305
      = Musca lagyra Walker 1849: 885
      = Lucilia latifrons Schiner 1862: 590
      = Lucilia sayi Jaennicke 1867: 375
      = Lucilia barberi Townsend 1908: 121
      = Lucilia giraulti Townsend 1908: 121
      Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Free State, Lesotho, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Gauteng, Northern Province, Northwest Province, Northern Cape, to Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Europe, Australia, etc
      Carrion-breeding, causes wound myiasis

    2. L. cuprina (Wiedemann, 1830)
      Musca cuprina Wiedemann, 1830: 654
      = Lucilia dorsalis Robineau-Desvoidy 1830: 453
      = Lucilia amica Robineau-Desvoidy 1830: 453
      = Lucilia elegans Robineau-Desvoidy 1830: 458
      = Lucilia argyrocephala Macquart 1846: 326
      = Musca fucina Walker 1849: 883
      = Musca serenissima Walker 1852: 340
      = Musca temperata Walker 1852: 340
      = Lucilia leucodes Frauenfeldt 1867: 453
      = Somomyia pallifrons Bigot 1877: 257
      = Strongyloneura nigricornis Senior-White 1924: 115
      = Lucilia pallescens Shannon 1924: 78
      = Lucilia sericata Smit 1928: 1 (nec Meigen, error )
      Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Free State, Lesotho, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Gauteng, Northern Province, Northwest Province, Northern Cape, to Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Europe, Australia, etc
      Carrion-breeding, causes wound myiasis, especially of sheep


  4. Genus: PERICALLIMYIA Villeneuve, 1915
    1. P. westermanni (Wiediemann, 1819)
      Tachina westermanni Wiediemann, 1819: 23
      Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Northern Province, Northwest Province, to Zimbabwe

    2. P. perlata (Walker, 1860)
      Musca perlata Walker, 1860: 314
      Western Cape, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, to Democratic Republic of Congo


  5. Genus: CALLIPHORA Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830
    1. C. croceipalpis Jaennicke, 1867
      Calliphora croceipalpis Jaennicke, 1867: 376
      = Calliphora capensis Brauer & Bergenstamm 1891: 442
      = Calliphora parasacra Speiser 1910: 155
      Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Free State, Lesotho, KwaZuluu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Gauteng, Northern Province, to Zimbabwe, Malawi, Tanzania, Ethiopia,
      Carcass-breeding, causes wound and enteric myiasis


  6. Genus: ADICHOSINA Villeneuve, 1934
    1. A. munroi (Curran, 1926)
      Pericallimyia munroi Curran, 1926: 47
      Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga


  7. Genus: TRICYCLEA Wulp, 1884
    1. T. semicinerea Bezzi, 1908
      Tricyclea semicinerea Bezzi, 1908: 77
      = Tricyclea palliventris Curran, 1927: 365
      Transvaal, to Zimbabwe, Zambia, Eritrea, Nigeria

    2. T. perpendicularis Villeneuve, 1921
      Tricyclea perpendicularis Villeneuve, 1921: 522
      = Tricyclea distigma Curran, 1927: 520
      = Tricyclea cockbilli Zumpt, 1953: 510
      Zimbabwe, to Nigeria, Cote d'Ivoire

    3. T. fasciata Macquart, 1842
      Tricyclea fasciata fasciata Macquart, 1842: 590
      KwaZulu-Natal, to central and west Arica
      Tricyclea faciata ferruginea Wulp, 1884: 294
      Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe

    4. T. bivittata Curran, 1927
      Tricyclea bivittata Curran, 1927: 523
      Western Cape, Eastern Cape, to Zimbabwe,

    5. T. par Zumpt, 1955
      Tricyclea par Zumpt, 1955: 55
      Northern Province, to Botswana

    6. T. claripennis Séguy, 1933
      Tricyclea claripennis Séguy, 1933: 74
      Botswana

    7. T. bipartita Séguy, 1938
      Tricyclea bipartita Séguy, 1938: 62
      Zimbabwe


  8. Genus: HEMIGYMNOCHAETA Corti, 1895
    1. H. unicolor (Bigot, 1887)
      Ochromyia unicolor Bigot, 1887: 608
      = Hemigymnochaeta lutea Corti, 1895: 142
      = Zonochroa flaveola Bezzi, 1908: 383
      = Hemigymnochaeta clara Curran, 1931: 11
      KwaZulu-Natal, Transvaal, to Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Togo

    2. H. gracilis (Séguy, 1933)
      Tricyclea gracilis Séguy, 1933: 73
      Eastern Cape, to Uganda, Nigeria

    3. H. liberia Curran, 1931
      Hemigymnochaeta liberia Curran, 1931: 12
      = Hemigymnochaeta liberia orientalis Zumpt, 1953: 491
      Zimbabwe, Liberia

    4. H. varia (Hough, 1898)
      Parachromyia varia Hough, 1898: 178
      = Auchmeromyiella angola Townsend, 1918: 154
      = Tricyclea difficilis Curran, 1927: 526
      = Tricyclodes pallens Curran, 1927: 525
      = Tricyclea tridentata Villeneuve, 1936: 3
      ?, to Kenya, **

    5. H. laticeps Zumpt, 1956
      laticeps Zumpt, 1956: 148
      Zimbabwe


  9. Genus: NEOCORDYLOBIA Villeneuve, 1929
    1. N. roubaudi Villeneuve, 1929
      Neocordylobia roubaudi Villeneuve, 1929: 437
      KwaZulu-Natal, to Zimbabwe, Tanzania


  10. Genus: PACHYCHOEROMYIA Villeneuve, 1920
    1. P. praegrandis (Austen, 1911)
      Cordylobia praegrandis Austen, 1911: 79
      Western Cape, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, to Sudan, Senegal


  11. Genus: AUCHMEROMYIA Brauer & Bergenstamm, 1891
    1. A. luteola (Fabricius, 1805)
      Musca luteola Fabricius, 1805: 286
      = Auchmeromyia tilhoi Surcouf & Guyon, 1912, 423
      KwaZulu-Natal, Northern Province, to Sudan, Siera Leone

    2. A. choerophaga (Roubaud, 1911)
      Choeromyia choerophaga Roubaud, 1911: 554
      Namibia, to Sudan, West Africa

    3. A. bequaerti Roubaud, 1913
      Auchmeromyia bequaerti Roubaud, 1913: 198
      KwaZulu-Natal, to Tanzania, Congo


  12. Genus: CORDYLOBIA Gruenberg, 1903
    1. C. anthropophaga (Blanchard, 1893)
      Ochromyia anthropophaga Blanchard, 1893: 127
      = Cordylobia grunbergi Doenitz, 1905: 245
      = Cordylobia murium Doenitz, 1905: 245
      Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Swaziland, Gauteng, to tropical Africa


  13. Genus: STASISIA Surcouf, 1914
    1. S. rodhaini (Gedoelst 1910)
      Cordylobia rodhaini Gedoelst 1910: 538
      Zimbabwe, Kenya, Benin


  14. Genus: BENGALIA Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830
    1. B. spinifemorata Villeneuve, 1913
      Bengalia spinifemorata Villeneuve, 1913: 153
      Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, to Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Nigeria

    2. B. gaillardi Surcouf & Guyon, 1912
      Bengalia gaillardi Surcouf & Guyon, 1912: 427
      = Bengalia spurca Brauer & Bergenstamm, 1891: 420
      = Bengalia depressa Surcouf & Guyon, 1912: 425 (nec Walker)
      Namibia, Congo, Uganda, Tanzania, Nigeria, Siera Leone, Gambia

    3. B. floccosa (Wulp, 1884)
      Calliphora floccosa Wulp, 1884: 292
      = Ochromyia crassirostris Karsch, 1887: 377
      = Bengalia mercanaria Séguy, 1933: 78
      Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, to Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Tanzania

    4. B. cuthbertsoni Zumpt, 1956
      Bengalia cuthbertsoni Zumpt, 1956: 171-174
      Zimbabwe, Zambia

    5. B. depressa Walker, 1857
      Bengalia depressa Walker, 1857: 211
      = Ochromyia limbata Bigot, 1887: 609
      = Bengalia unicalcarata Villeneuve, 1913: 348
      = ?Bengalia tibiaria Villeneuve, 1926: 69
      Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Swaziland, Transvaal, to Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Congo

    6. B. peuhi Villeneuve, 1914
      Auchmeromyia peuhi Brauer & Bergenstamm, 1891: 420 (nomen nudum)
      Bengalia peuhi Villeneuve, 1914: 253
      Northern Province, to Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Ethiopia, Nigeria



Tribe: CHRYSOMYIINI

  1. Genus: CHRYSOMYIA Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830
    1. C. bezziana Villeneuve, 1914
      Chrysomyia bezziana Villeneuve, 1914: 430
      Northern Province, to Botswana and tropical Africa
      Produces wound myiasis

    2. C. laxifrons Villeneuve, 1914
      Chrysomyia laxifrons Villeneuve, 1914: 178
      Mpumalanga, Northern Province, to Zimbabwe, Siera Leone, Tanzania

    3. C. inclinata Walker, 1860
      Chrysomyia inclinata Walker, 1860: 311
      = Chrysomyia tellinii Bezzi 1908: 82
      = Chrysomyia roubaudi Séguy 1925: 304
      Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, to Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Sierra Leone

    4. C. marginalis (Wiedemann, 1830)
      Musca marginalis Wiedemann, 1830: 395 (conserved in ICZN opinion 1507 of 1988)
      = Chrysomyia regalis Robineau-Desvoidy 1930: 449
      = Phumosia tessellata Bigot 1878: 31
      = Paracompsomyia nigripennis Hough 1898: 184
      Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Gauteng, Northern Province, to Madagascar, Pakistan
      Carcass-breeding

    5. C. chloropyga (Wiedemann, 1818)
      Musca chloropyga Wiedemann, 1818: 44
      = Somomyia anchorata Bigot 1877: 48
      = Somomyia barbigera Bigot 1887: 597
      = Paracompsomyia houghi Adams 1905: 201
      Eastern Cape, **
      Carcass-breeding

    6. C. putoria (Wiedemann, 1830)
      Musca putoria Wiedemann, 1830: 403
      = Somomyia punctifera Bigot 1977: 256
      Musca putoria var adoxa Séguy 1928: 109
      Musca putoria var cyanea Séguy 1928: 109
      Musca putoria var pulchra Séguy 1928: 110
      Eastern Cape, **
      Carcass-breedidng

    7. C. albiceps (Wiedemann, 1819)
      Musca albiceps Wiedemann, 1819: 38
      = Musca bibula Wiedemann 1830: 672
      = Musca elara Walker 1849: 870
      = Musca emoda Walker 1849: 872
      = Musca himella Walker 1849: 876
      = Lucilia acruata Macquart 1850: 220
      = Lucilia testaceifacies Macquart 1850: 247
      = Paracompsomyia varticalis Adams 1905: 202
      = Chrysomyia cupronitens (Rondani) Villeneuve 1913: 367
      = Chrysomyia albiceps var flaviceps (Rondani) Séguy 1927: 11
      = Chrysomyia albiceps var mascarenhasi Séguy 1927: 11
      = Chrysomyia albiceps var indica Patton & Cushing 1934: 221
      Eastern Cape, ** to Madagascar, Europe, India
      Carcass-breeding, causes wound myiasis

REFERENCES

Zumpt, F. 1956.
Calliphoridae (Diptera Cyclorrhapha) Part 1: Calliphorini and Chrysomyiini. Exploration du Parc National Albert, Mission G.F. de Witte (1933-1935). 87: 3-199.
This part of A Catalogue of South African Insects revised: