A Survey of the Snail-Killing Flies (Diptera: Sciomyzidae) of Howard County, Maryland

Abstract

Results of an eight-year survey of the marsh flies or snail-killing flies (Sciomyzidae) of Howard County, Maryland are presented. Twenty-four described species in nine genera have been recorded from this small county in central Maryland. The genera include Atrichomelina Cresson, Dictya Meigen, Ditaeniella Sack, Euthycera Latreille, Limnia Robineau-Desvoidy, Pherbellia Robineau-Desvoidy, Sepedon Latreille, Tetanocera Duméril, and Trypetoptera Hendel. Two new (at the time of collection) state records—Dictya stricta Steyskal and Tetanocera rotundicornis Loew—were established, and one undescribed species of Dictya was discovered. Collecting records are included for all species. Biological information is summarized for each genus.