Some morphological aspects of the mouthparts of Italian blood-sucking muscids (Diptera, Stomoxyinae).

Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations on the mouthparts of four species of blood-sucking muscid symbovine flies (Stomoxys calcitrans Linnaeus, Haematobia irritans Linnaeus, H. titillans Bezzi, and Haematobosca stimulans Meigen) are described. The morphology of some structures (haustellum, prestomal teeth and petiolate blades) is compared in order to draw attention to those features involved in the feeding process on the hosts.