Dr Henry Disney

A lifelong interest in Diptera (flies, midges and gnats), especially their interactions with other organisms. 

I was formerly a medical entomologist in Belize (British Honduras) and Cameroon. I subsequently became interested in British Diptera, especially Meniscus Midges and Trickle Midges. I then became preoccupied (obsessed?) with Scuttle Flies. I am thus an ecologist who turned taxonomist, but now uses taxonomy as the means of being in a position to publish novel data on the natural history of scuttle flies. 

My main focus is now on the natural histories of the Phoridae of the world, with particular attention to those associated with social insects. Much of my work is summarised in Disney, R. H. L., 1994. Scuttle Flies: The Phoridae. London, Chapman & Hall. xii + 467pp. 

All this work involves much fundamental taxonomic work, as most species remain unknown to science. Much of my work is in collaboration with field workers around the world. One needs nine lives to be an entomologist - but one is never bored!

Key Publications: 

Disney, R. H. L., 1968a. Observations on a zoonosis: Leishmaniasis in British Honduras. Journal of Applied Ecology 5: 1–59. https://doi.org/10.2307/2401273 

Disney, R. H. L., 1972b. Observations on sampling pre-imaginal populations of blackflies (Dipt., Simuliidae) in West Cameroon. Bulletin of Entomological Research 61: 485–503. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007485300047349 

Disney, R. H. L., 1994d. Scuttle Flies: The Phoridae. London, Chapman & Hall. xii + 467 pp. ISBN 0 412562520 X. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-1288-8 

Disney, R. H. L., 1999c. British Dixidae (Meniscus Midges) and Thaumaleidae (Trickle Midges): Keys with Ecological Notes. Freshwater Biological Association, Scientific Publications 56: 1–129. ISBN 0 900386 60 6.

Disney, R. H. L., 2003d. Tasmanian Phoridae (Diptera) and some additional Australasian species. Journal of Natural History 37: 505–639. https://doi.org/10.1080/00222930110096564 

Disney, R. H. L., 2004g. Insecta: Diptera, Phoridae. Pp. 818–825 in Yule, C. M. & Yong, H. S. (Editors) Freshwater Invertebrates of the Malaysian Region. Kuala Lumpur: Academy of Sciences Malaysia. ISBN 983-41936-0-2. 

Disney, R. H. L. 2005h. Phoridae (Diptera) of Madagascar and nearby islands. Studia dipterologica 12: 139–177.

Disney, R. H. L., 2006h. Insects of Arabia scuttle flies (Diptera: Phoridae) Part I: all genera except Megaselia. Pp. 473–521 in Krupp, F. (Editor-in-Chief) Fauna of Arabia 22: 530 pp. Senckenbergische Naturforschende Gesellschaft, Frankfurt a.M., Germany and King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. ISBN 978-3-929907-76-6.

Disney, R. H. L., 2009g. Insects of Arabia scuttle flies (Diptera: Phoridae) Part II: the genus Megaselia. Pp. 249–357 in Krupp, F. (Editor-in-Chief) Fauna of Arabia 24. 405 pp. Senckenbergische Naturforschende Gesellschaft, Frankfurt a.M., Germany and King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. ISBN 978-3-929907-80-3.

Disney, R. H. L., 2021b. Phoridae (Scuttle Flies), Chapter 59: 1383–1437. In: Kirk-Spriggs, A. H. & Sinclair, B. J. (eds), Manual of Afrotropical Diptera, Volume 3: Brachycera–Cyclorrhapha, excluding Calyptratae. Suricata 8. South African National Biodiversity Institute.