| Scathophaga | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scathophaga stercoraria, the yellow dung fly | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Diptera |
| Family: | Scathophagidae |
| Subfamily: | Scathophaginae |
| Genus: | Scathophaga Meigen, 1803 |
| Type species | |
| Musca merdaria Fabricius, 1794
| |
| Synonyms | |
| |
The genus Scathophaga are small to medium sized predatory flies that for the most part, have larvae that feed on other insect larva within animal dung or decaying vegetable matter. Many are highly variable, sometimes producing small, infertile males that superficially resemble females.[1] This species is an example of an organism which may selectively store the sperm of multiple males, as females have three to four spermathecae.[2]