Hypodermatinae

Abstract: The bot fly Gruninomyia mira Szpila & Pape, gen.n., sp.n. is described from Iran, North Khorasan, based on a single adult male and with no larval or host data. The monotypic genus shows a mixture of features otherwise found in either the rodent/lagomorph-parasitizing oestromyine clade (Oestroderma + Oestromyia) or the artiodactyl-parasitizing hypodermatine clade (Hypoderma + Pallasiomyia + Pavlovskiata + Przhevalskiana + Strobiloestrus) of subfamily Hypodermatinae. A morphology-based phylogenetic analysis is marginally in favour of a position of Gruninomyia Szpila & Pape, gen.n. as sister taxon of (Oestroderma + Oestromyia). The COI barcode sequence is provided for the new species, and a phylogenetic analysis based on this marker for Oestridae retrieved from GenBank is in agreement with the conclusions based on morphological data. This published work has been registered in ZooBank: http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:8F0CBE07-4E74-4186-B690-2C97D7ED7DA7.

Abstract: Summary Eggs and first instar larvae of Strobiloestrus vanzyli Zumpt are described for the first time and it is suggested that there is a subdermal migration of the larvae from the site of oviposition on the hosts' hairs to the site of encystment and warble formation. Intrastadial morphological changes are reported for all larval instars and the descriptions of second and third stage larvae are enlarged. Wild caught adults and those reared from larvae extracted from lechwe antelope (Kobus leche) are compared with the published descriptions of Strobiloestrus species and with other specimens of this genus. The diagnostic features within the genus are discussed and it is concluded that S. vanzyli may not be a separate species from S. erikssoni. Strobiloestrus is considered in relation to other Oestridae, Hypodermatinae and Hypodermatini and it is suggested that this genus forms a distinctive group within the Hypodermatini but has some features in common with the Oestrinae.

Abstract: . A 688-bp region of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene was sequenced from larvae of 18 species of Oestridae causing obligate myiasis. Larvae belonged to the four Oestridae subfamilies (Cuterebrinae, Gasterophilinae, Hypodermatinae and Oestrinae), which are commonly found throughout the world. Analysis of both nucleotide and amino acid data was performed. Nucleotide sequences included 385 conserved sites and 303 variable sites; mean nucleotide variation between all species was 18.1% and variation within each subfamily ranged from 5.3% to 13.34%. Intraspecific pairwise divergences ranged from 0.14% to 1.59%, and interspecific variation ranged from 0.7% to 27%. Of the 229 amino acids, 76 were variable (60 of which were phylogenetically informative), with some highly conserved residues identified within each subfamily. Phylogenetic analysis showed a strong divergence among the four subfamilies, concordant with classical taxonomy based on morphological and biological features. This study provides the first molecular data set for myiasis-causing Oestridae species, providing an essential database for the molecular identification of these parasites and the assessment of phylogenetic relationships within family Oestridae.

Abstract: A critical phase in the life cycle of the fly species that cause myiasis is host location by the adult females, whether by direct location of and contact with the host, or by indirect location through the selection of sites frequented by hosts. The stimuli to which these flies respond in host location, principally visual and olfactory, are discussed here in the context of their use to enhance the performance of trapping systems used in research, monitoring and control. The three major families of flies encountered in myiasis can be divided into two groups for comparison of host-location strategies: (1) Oestridae; and (2) Calliphoridae and Sacrophagidae. The former are all obligate parasites, the latter include obligate and primary facultative parasites. In the Oestridae, the majority of Cuterebrinae deposit their eggs at sites likely to be visited by the host, whereas the majority of Oestrinae, Hypodermatinae and Gasterophilinae deposit their eggs or larvae directly onto the host. It is presumed that most host location is, like that of haematophagous insects, by response to olfactory and visual cues released by healthy hosts, but the subject is very under-researched. In the Calliphoridae and Sacrophagidae, most species that cause myiasis deposit their eggs or larvae directly onto the host at some predisposing site, such as those caused by wounding, necrosis and/or bacterial contamination. Healthy hosts are much less attractive, even for obligate species such as Wohlfahrtia magnifica, which can invade undamaged tissues. The last decade has seen a renewed interest in the potential for using traps in control of myiasis, leading to significant advances in trap and bait efficiency. However, there is great potential for further research and development, particularly on the general responses of Oestridae to hosts and in the precise identification of the olfactory cues for Calliphoridae and Sarcophagidae.