Coffin Fly vs Banana Stalk Fly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Coffin Fly Banana Stalk Fly
Scientific Name Conicera tibialis Telostylinus angusticollis
Order Diptera Diptera
Family Phoridae Neriidae
Size 2-3 mm 8-15 mm
Habitat Underground Forests
Diet Omnivores Wood Feeders
Regions Europe, North America Oceania
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Coffin Fly

A tiny humpbacked fly capable of burrowing through soil to reach buried remains. It is of forensic importance as it can colonize remains inaccessible to other insects.

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Did You Know?

It can burrow through over a meter of soil to reach a food source below ground.

Banana Stalk Fly

A slender long-legged fly from Australia whose body size depends on larval nutrition. Larger males pass on a size advantage to offspring even through a non-genetic pathway.

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Did You Know?

Research on this species demonstrated transgenerational effects where paternal diet quality affected offspring body size without changes to DNA.