L3- Flies Flashcards
What is the defining feature of Diptera?
They have a single pair of wings and halteres (sensory structures for balance).
What type of metamorphosis do Dipterans undergo?
Holometabolous (complete) metamorphosis.
What are the three reproductive strategies in Diptera?
Oviparous (lay eggs), ovoviviparous (eggs hatch during birth), viviparous (larvae develop inside the mother).
What are the three suborders of Diptera?
Nematocera, Tabanomorpha, Muscomorpha
Which suborder includes slender flies with long antennae?
Nematocera
What distinguishes Muscomorpha from other suborders?
Short, three-segmented antennae with an arista.
Where are larvae of Nematocera usually found?
Aquatic environments, faeces, or decaying matter.
What is a common genus of biting midges?
Culicoides (often called sandflies).
What disease do midges vector?
Onchocerca nematodes (cause hypersensitivity in horses, e.g., Queensland Itch).
What disease is transmitted by black flies (Simulium)?
River blindness (Onchocerca volvulus).
Where do black fly larvae develop?
Flowing water (streams, rivers).
What type of flies are found in Tabanomorpha?
Marsh flies and horse flies.
What are the major groups within Muscomorpha?
Biting flies, strike flies, filth flies.
What is the most common filth fly?
Musca domestica (house fly).
How many eggs can a female house fly lay in her lifetime?
about 2500
Where do filth flies lay their eggs?
manure and decaying organic matter
What is Stomoxys calcitrans commonly known as?
Stable fly
What impact do stable flies have on livestock?
Painful bites, reduced milk yield, vector of Habronema majus nematodes.
What is Haematobia irritans exigua
Buffalo Fly
Where do buffalo fly larvae develop?
Cattle faeces
What do blowflies feed on?
Carrion, wounds, and decaying organic matter.
What is the primary species responsible for flystrike in sheep?
Lucilia cuprina (Green Blowfly).
What attracts flies to sheep for flystrike?
Sulfur-rich volatiles from bacterial decomposition in wool.
What are the three types of strike flies?
Primary strike (initiates strike), secondary strike (extends wounds), tertiary strike (feeds on the wound surface).
