A review and illustrated description of Musca crassirostris, one of the most neglected haematophagous livestock flies

Tabanids, stomoxyine flies, hippoboscids and tsetse flies are the most well-known brachyceran biting flies of livestock. Only a few other higher Diptera have developed the unique mouthparts required for blood feeding. These neglected blood feeders can also have direct effects on hosts through blood loss, and are likely to contribute to the transmission of pathogens. Musca crassirostris (Diptera: Muscidae) is one of the most abundant of the muscid flies with this haematophagous lifestyle; it is widespread in the Palaearctic, Afrotropical and Oriental regions. The present study reviews and summarizes the biology and morphology of this species, and its potential for impact on animals and humans. The study also provides a fully illustrated description of the fly to facilitate its identification, and reviews information on abundance, with a focus on recent trapping surveys in Thailand. When sampled using traps designed for other biting flies, M. crassirostris appears to be four and 45 times more abundant than stomoxyines and tabanids, respectively. High numbers of M. crassirostris in the vicinity of livestock have also been associated with outbreaks of disease, such as that of a fatal plague in bovine farms in Egypt. This calls for a reconsideration of its potential impacts on livestock economics and health, and thus the development of suitable control methods.

First survey of seasonal abundance and daily activity of Stomoxys spp. (Diptera: Muscidae) in Kamphaengsaen Campus, Nakornpathom province, Thailand

The seasonal changes and the daily activity of Stomoxyine species (Diptera: Muscidae) were examined, using Vavoua traps, in a dairy and a beef cattle farm in Nakhonpathom province, Thailand during July 2004 to June 2005. Over this period, Stomoxys calcitrans was the most commonly trapped species, followed by S. sitiens and S. indica. For the later species, this is the first report of its presence in Thailand. A total of 80 % of flies were captured during the rainy season from May to October and 20 % during the dry season from November to April. No major difference of fly density was observed between the dairy and the beef cattle farm. The activity pattern of S. calcitrans was diurnal with a peak between 08:00 am to 10:00 am and another less marked one in the afternoon. The activity pattern of S. sitiens and S. indica was mainly crepuscular with 2 peaks, early in the morning (06:00 a.m.) and late in the afternoon (6:00 p.m.). Those species are important pests of livestock in Thailand, where they are known as a mechanical vector of trypanosomes. A better knowledge of their ecology is a prerequisite for more efficient control measures.