Muscomorpha

<p>The <a href="/facts/Brachycera/5s1DmM41">Brachyceran</a> infraorder Muscomorpha is a large and diverse group of flies, containing the bulk of the Brachycera and most of the known <a href="/facts/Fly/ugzGBFKG">flies</a>. It includes a number of the most familiar flies, such as the <a href="/facts/Housefly/GFbeB3In">housefly</a>, the <a href="/facts/Drosophila/P4K7RkJl">fruit fly</a>, and the <a href="/facts/Calliphoridae/fcWGgYy9">blow fly</a>. The <a href="/facts/Antenna_(biology)/F0F9Eof9">antennae</a> are short, usually three-segmented, with a dorsal <a href="/facts/Arista_(insect_anatomy)/XASo4b1l">arista</a>. Their bodies are often highly setose, and the pattern of <a href="/facts/Seta/jUmts6C2">setae</a> is often taxonomically important.
</p><p>The <a href="/facts/Larva/GKo2FIew">larvae</a> of muscomorphs (in the sense the name is used here; see below) have reduced head capsules, and the <a href="/facts/Pupa/0u7NE8Cq">pupae</a> are formed inside the <a href="/facts/Exoskeleton/Wlmru4GW">exoskeleton</a> of the last <a href="/facts/Larva/GKo2FIew">larval</a> <a href="/facts/Instar/KRIfCFIn">instar</a>. Exit from this <a href="/facts/Puparium/0u7NE8Cq">puparium</a> is by a circular line of weakness, and this pupal type is called "cyclorrhaphous"; this feature gives this group of flies their traditional name, <a href="/facts/Cyclorrhapha/CL7JhLQ5">Cyclorrhapha</a>.
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Muscomorpha open-in-new

Muscomorpha