88 
John R. Holsinger and David C. Culver 
the cavernicolous fauna. At least six families are found in regional caves 
with some degree of regularity: Heleomyzidae, Mycetophilidae, Phor- 
idae, Psychodidae, Sciaridae, and Sphaeroceridae. In addition, seven 
other families are sporadically observed, usually in entrance zones; but 
they rarely, if ever, contribute significantly to the fauna of a given cave. 
These are Calliphoridae, Chironomidae, Culicidae, Dolichopodidae, 
Empidae, Streblidae (e.g., Trichobius , an ectoparasite of bats), and 
Tipulidae. Although no attempt was made to systematically collect 
dipterans from caves, a few collections were made selectively to establish 
the identity of the most common species. 
The fly most frequently seen in regional caves was Amoebalaria 
defessa (Heleomyzidae), a troglophile or trogloxene common in caves 
throughout much of the eastern United States (see Gill 1962, Peck and 
Lewis 1978) (Fig. 31B). Two other heleomyzids, Aecothea (probably A. 
specus Aldrich) and Heleomyza brachyptera (Loew), were observed 
occasionally , but specific cave records are unavailable. Heleomyzids are 
generally found on damp walls and ceilings, sometimes in large numbers 
and usually not far from entrance zones (see also Busacca 1975). 
Also relatively common in study-area caves are Megaselia caverni- 
cola (Phoridae), a troglophile widespread in the east-central and eastern 
United States (see Borgmeier 1965), and members of the Sphaeroceridae, 
of which several species are often found in caves of the United States 
(see Curran 1965, Stone et al. 1965, Marshall 1985). Although the 
sphaerocerid Spelobia tenebrarum is recorded from only two caves in 
Lee County, it probably inhabits many other caves in the study area. 
This species is recorded from numerous caves in the eastern United 
States and has been listed as a troglophile or trogloxene under the name 
Leptocera tenebrarum by a number of workers (viz., Barr 1967a, 
Holsinger and Peck 1971, Holsinger et al. 1976, Peck and Lewis 1978). 
However, in a recent study of cavernicolous sphaerocerids, Marshall 
and Peck (1984, 1985) suggest that it may be a troglobite. Both 
Megaselia and Spelobia are associated with decaying organic material 
(e.g., vegetal matter, feces, and carcasses) in caves. 
Both larvae and adults of fungus gnats (families Sciaridae and 
Mycetophilidae) are recorded from regional caves. Sciarids are usually 
found in and around damp, rotting vegetal debris. Mycetophilid larvae 
are sometimes luminescent and build silken webs on dung and damp 
clay and under rocks. Peck and Russell (1976) identified the myceto- 
philid Macrocera nobilis Johnson from many caves in the southeastern 
United States, but none of these records is from the study area. 
Although M. nobilis should occur in study-area caves on the basis of its 
geographic distribution, most of the larvae seen to date have been 
smaller than those of this species and probably represent other genera. 
