Conicera tibialis Schmitz, 1925

Mostovski, Mike B., 2004, New records of scuttle flies (Diptera: Phoridae) from South Africa, with description of a new species and hitherto unknown males, African Invertebrates 45, pp. 125-125 : 132

Conicera tibialis Schmitz, 1925

Conicera tibialis Schmitz, 1925: 119 ; Borgmeier 1969: 54; Disney 1983: 21, figs. 33, 38. (Type locality: Hungary)

Material examined: SOUTH AFRICA: KwaZulu­Natal: 4 _, Pietermaritzburg, Hilton (29º32'30.7"S: 30º18'18.4"E), 1131 m, 14.x–12.xi.2003 , Malaise trap, M. Mostovski; 1 _, same data except 24.xii.2003 – 14.i.2004 ( NMSA) .

Distribution: This species has been recorded worldwide, being possibly carried by man.

Remarks: This is the famous coffin­fly. The vernacular name derives from its frequent occurrence in buried corpses. Various authors (Schmitz 1928 1951 b; Ardö 1953; Colyer 1954 a) reported numerous larvae, pupae and adults of this species on bodies that had been buried for up to about four years. Evidence and laboratory experiments ( Ardö 1953) suggest that a sequence of generations could be produced deep in the ground, without getting to the surface. It apperas that gravid females can make their way through the soil down to a depth of two metres (Smith 1986). Colyer (1954 b, c) reports numerous swarming and copulating flies on the soil surface above a dead dog buried about one metre deep, a year and a half previously. Digging revealed adult flies present at all depths from the surface down to the corpse. A May generation had completely disappeared by mid­June, but flies were again seen swarming over the soil above the same place at the beginning of August, suggesting a second generation from the buried corpse. This activity at the surface occurred in sunshine. In dull weather the flies hid beneath soil clods.