Search

We describe five cases of myiasis of domestic cats, Felis silvestris catus L. (Carnivora: Felidae), reported in 2016 in northern Italy and caused by three Diptera species: Sarcophaga argyrostoma (Robineau-Desvoidy) (Sarcophagidae), Calliphora vicina Robineau-Desvoidy and Lucilia sericata (Meigen) (Calliphoridae). Three were cases of traumatic myiasis, one by S. argyrostoma and two by L. sericata, one was a case of auricular myiasis by C. vicina and one was a case of ophthalmomyiasis caused by an association of L. sericata and C. vicina. The myiasis by S. argyrostoma is the first reported case of this species in a cat, whereas the two myiases by C. vicina are the first reported cases in cats in Italy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pretarsi are the most important structures that allow flies to walk on various smooth surfaces and act as contact sensory organs. The pretarsal ultrastructure, including adhesive pads, claws, unguitractors, and bristles, of five calyptrate species are presented and described in detail, including Calliphora calliphoroides (Rohdendorf, 1931), Lucilia sericata (Meigen, 1826), Sarcophaga portschinskyi (Rohdendorf, 1937), Muscina stabulans (Fallen, 1817) and Portschinskia magnifica Pleske, 1926. Two types of tenent setae (spoon-tipped and spatula-tipped) are present on the ventral side of pulvilli in all species. The density of tenent setae and the pulvilli area in forelegs, midlegs, and hindlegs of both sexes are different. Among the five species, Ca. calliphoroides has unusually large pulvilli to its body size. These results provide morphological details that help to understand the movement and attachment of flies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To further establish species determination using the muscle attachment site (MAS) pattern method, third instar larvae of five forensically important species of Sarcophaga Meigen were investigated: Sarcophaga argyrostoma (Robineau-Desvoidy), Sarcophaga caerulescens Zetterstedt, Sarcophaga melanura Meigen, Sarcophaga albiceps Meigen and Sarcophaga similis Meade. As in the previously investigated Calliphoridae, patterns were found to be species specific. The main feature of the Sarcophaga patterns is the divided central horizontal row of segment four. A genus pattern was established to be used as base for comparison in further species determination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sarcophagids are a large family of Diptera, with a worldwide distribution. They are related to decomposing organic matter and are very interesting for health science and in forensic cases since many species produce myiasis and occur in human corpses. This family is considered difficult to study, particularly with regard to their immature stages, to which little attention has been paid. Genus Sarcophaga Meigen, 1826 is composed of species of very similar morphology, making very difficult to distinguish. Knowledge of the immature stages of this genus is important because such stages occupy the greater part of the life cycle, so that establishing a basis for their identification will increase their usefulness in systematic and applied sciences. This contribution presents a detailed study of the morphological features, both external and internal, of the preimaginal stages of Sarcophaga ( Liosarcophaga) tibialis Macquart, 1851, providing a taxonomical context for the correct identification of Liosarcophaga species of forensic interest in the Iberian Peninsula. Both light and scanning electron microscopy were applied. Complete descriptions of every stage are provided and illustrated, and their usefulness for species comparison, taking into account our uneven knowledge of morphologically immature stages of this subgenus, is indicated. Features of the cephalopharyngeal skeleton, such as the shape of the mouth hook and the intermediate and basal sclerites, and external morphology, such as the pattern of spinose band and anterior and posterior spiracles, proved useful for separating species. Finally, tentative identification keys based on light microscopy observation to distinguish S. ( L.) tibialis from other species of forensic interest belonging to Liosarcophaga subgenus are proposed for every immature stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myiasis is the parasitic infestation of human by the larvae (maggots) of dipterous fly that grow within the host while feeding on its tissue. Cutaneous myiasis is the most considerably encountered clinical form. Moreover, wound (traumatic) myiasis is the main clinical manifestation of cutaneous myiasis. In this research, we aimed to study the type of infesting larvae that are responsible for wound myiasis in the patients in Minia city, Egypt. Three cases of wound myiasis have been noticed among 280 patients with wounds at different parts of bodies. Two of them were diabetic patients. The third one had a history of hypertension with right side hemiplegia 2 years ago. All of them were elderly. The larvae removed from cases 1 and 3 were identified macroscopically and microscopically as the third-stage larvae of Sarcophaga haemorrhoidalis. The larvae removed from case 2 were the third-stage larvae of Phormia regina, which is very rare worldwide. In addition to the open and obsolete wound, diabetes mellitus and low socio-economic circumstances were shown to be attributed as important predisposing risk factors that led to the occurrence of myiasis in these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of some insect populations in the transmission of Trichinella sp . has been demonstrated. However, most of the studies have been conducted under controlled conditions which may influence the real role that they could play as a paratenic host in nature. To enlight this issue, a series of studies to determine the infective capability of the muscle larva of Trichinella spiralis recovered from immature stages of insect populations that fed on infected tissues exposed to natural conditions were carried out. Mice harbouring T. spiralis muscle larvae (ML) were sacrificed and deposited on a pitfall trap which was established in an open and safe area through 25 days in summer. Necrophilous and necrophagous insects that fed on corpses were recovered, identified and processed to search for live ML of T. spiralis. A complementary study in which maggots of Dermestes maculatus recovered from nature were induced to feed on muscle tissues harbouring T. spiralis larvae was also performed. The muscle larvae recovered from insects at different times of exposition were counted and inoculated to mice to determine the reproductive capability index (RCI). At day 3 of exposition, 29 live ML of T. spiralis were recovered from maggots of Phaenicia sericata. The RCI for these larvae was 133.6. On day 5 of exposition, maggots of Sarcophaga sp . were identified and 17 live T. spiralis larvae were recovered; the RCI of these larvae was 43.4. The T. spiralis ML recovered from maggots of D. maculatus obtained after 2 days of feeding on experimentally infected tissue showed a RCI of 24. The results suggest that larval stages of P. sericata, Sarcophaga sp. and D. maculatus might have an important role as a paratenic host of T. spiralis, which, in terms, may influence the epidemiology of this nematode in endemic areas of trichinellosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since insect species are poikilothermic organisms, they generally exhibit different growth patterns depending on the temperature at which they develop. This factor is important in forensic entomology, especially for estimating postmortem interval (PMI) when it is based on the developmental time of the insects reared in decomposing bodies. This study aimed to estimate the rates of development, viability, and survival of immatures of Sarcophaga ( Liopygia) ruficornis (Fabricius 1794) and Microcerella halli (Engel 1931) (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) reared in different temperatures: 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35 ± 1 °C. Bovine raw ground meat was offered as food for all experimental groups, each consisting of four replicates, in the proportion of 2 g/larva. To measure the evolution of growth, ten specimens of each group were randomly chosen and weighed every 12 h, from initial feeding larva to pupae, and then discarded. Considering the records of weight gain, survival rates, and stability of growth rates, the range of optimum temperature for the development of S. ( L.) ruficornis is between 20 and 35 °C, and that of M. halli is between 20 and 25 °C. For both species, the longest times of development were in the lowest temperatures. The survival rate at extreme temperatures (10 and 35 °C) was lower in both species. Biological data such as the ones obtained in this study are of great importance to achieve a more accurate estimate of the PMI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultrastructure of all larval instars and puparium of Parasarcophaga ruficornis, a common flesh fly species in India, is presented using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy for the first time. The principal diagnostic characters, i.e. the cephalopharyngeal apparatus, the cephalic segment, structure and orientation of spines, pupal respiratory horns, the structures of both anterior and posterior spiracles are illustrated and discussed. Information presented herein can be useful during forensic investigations involving this fly species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forensically important flesh fly species in Thailand have been investigated for their larval morphology and developmental rate to increase the forensic entomology database in Thailand and nearby countries. Sarcophaga ( Liosarcophaga) dux Thomson, Sarcophaga ( Liopygia) ruficornis (Fabricius), and Sarcophaga ( Boettcherisca) peregrina (Robineau-Desvoidy) are the species of greatest forensic importance. The third instars of these species are similar in morphological appearance, making it difficult or impossible to differentiate between them based on external morphological characteristics. This study compares these important characteristics and reveals that the most distinctive is the posterior spiracle, followed by the number of papillae on the anterior spiracle. For confirmation of these species, the unique characteristics of adult males are also shown for accurate identification. Both the third instar and adult male characteristics are keys to identifying these species. In addition, the developmental rate of S. dux was examined in northern Thailand during 2002–2003 under natural ambient temperature (≈24–28°C) and a natural light/dark photoperiod (≈12:12 h), indicating relatively rapid larval development in summer (March–June), pre-pupae (stop moving) initiated at 72 h. In the rainy season (July–October), pre-pupae initiated at 72 or 96 h, whereas pre-pupae initiated at 96 h in winter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]