Muscidae
Encyclopedia
Muscidae are a family of flies
found in the superfamily Muscoidea
. The apical segment of the antennae
of Muscidae are plumose, and the basal portion is smooth.
Muscidae, some of which are commonly known as house flies
or stable flies
due to their synanthropy
, are worldwide in distribution and contain almost 4,000 described species in over 100 genera.
Most species are not synanthropic. Adults can be predatory, hematophagous
, saprophagous, or feed on a number of types of plant and animal exudates. They can be attracted to various substances including sugar, sweat, tears http://www.ipmimages.org/images/768x512/1234039.jpg and blood. Larvae occur in various habitats including decaying vegetation, dry and wet soil, nests of insects and birds, fresh water, and carrion.
The housefly, Musca domestica
, is the best known and most important species.
Some, from the genus Hydrotaea
and Muscina are involved in forensic case studies.
suture present, calypter
s well developed. Arista
usually plumose for the entire length. Hypopleuron usually without bristles; generally more than one sternopleural bristle. R5 cell either parallel sided or narrowed distally. Vein 2A short and not reaching wing margin.
For a pictorial atlas explaining these terms go to http://www.ento.csiro.au/biology/fly/fly.html#
The Fanniidae
, which used to be a sub-family (Fanniinae) of the Muscidae share these characters, but may be separated from them by the absence of the identifying characteristics for the family Fanniidae.
, dysentery
, anthrax
, and African sleeping sickness.
, although no fossil record exists for the family any older than the Eocene
.
, Berlin http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/abstract/112417954/ABSTRACT
Diptera
Diptera , or true flies, is the order of insects possessing only a single pair of wings on the mesothorax; the metathorax bears a pair of drumstick like structures called the halteres, the remnants of the hind wings. It is a large order, containing an estimated 240,000 species, although under half...
found in the superfamily Muscoidea
Muscoidea
Muscoidea is a superfamily of flies in the subsection Calyptratae....
. The apical segment of the antennae
Antenna (biology)
Antennae in biology have historically been paired appendages used for sensing in arthropods. More recently, the term has also been applied to cilium structures present in most cell types of eukaryotes....
of Muscidae are plumose, and the basal portion is smooth.
Muscidae, some of which are commonly known as house flies
Housefly
The housefly , Musca domestica, is a fly of the suborder Cyclorrhapha...
or stable flies
Stable fly
Stomoxys calcitrans is commonly called the stable fly, barn fly, biting house fly, dog fly, or power mower fly. Unusually for a member of the family Muscidae, but like other members of the genus, Stomoxys calcitrans sucks blood from mammals.-External links:* * * hosted by the...
due to their synanthropy
Synanthrope
Synanthropes is a term applied to species of wild animals and plants of various kinds that live near, and benefit from, an association with humans and the somewhat artificial habitats that humans create around them . Those habitats include houses, gardens, farms, roadsides, garbage dumps, and so on...
, are worldwide in distribution and contain almost 4,000 described species in over 100 genera.
Most species are not synanthropic. Adults can be predatory, hematophagous
Hematophagy
Hematophagy is the practice of certain animals of feeding on blood...
, saprophagous, or feed on a number of types of plant and animal exudates. They can be attracted to various substances including sugar, sweat, tears http://www.ipmimages.org/images/768x512/1234039.jpg and blood. Larvae occur in various habitats including decaying vegetation, dry and wet soil, nests of insects and birds, fresh water, and carrion.
The housefly, Musca domestica
Housefly
The housefly , Musca domestica, is a fly of the suborder Cyclorrhapha...
, is the best known and most important species.
Some, from the genus Hydrotaea
Hydrotaea
Hydrotaea are insects located in most regions of the world, but are more populous in warmer climates. They are often found on excrement in summer months, and are therefore generally found in close proximity to livestock. Among the 130 known species in this genus, the most commonly recognized is the...
and Muscina are involved in forensic case studies.
Identifying characteristics for the family Muscidae
Antennae 3-segmented, aristate; vein Rs 2-branched, frontalSchizophora
Schizophora is a section of true flies containing 78 families, which are collectively referred to as muscoids, even though - technically - the term "muscoid" should be limited to flies in the superfamily Muscoidea; this is an example of informal, historical usage persisting in the vernacular...
suture present, calypter
Calypter
A calypter is either of two posterior lobes of the posterior margin of the forewing of flies between the extreme posterior wing base and the alula, which covers the halteres....
s well developed. Arista
Antenna (biology)
Antennae in biology have historically been paired appendages used for sensing in arthropods. More recently, the term has also been applied to cilium structures present in most cell types of eukaryotes....
usually plumose for the entire length. Hypopleuron usually without bristles; generally more than one sternopleural bristle. R5 cell either parallel sided or narrowed distally. Vein 2A short and not reaching wing margin.
For a pictorial atlas explaining these terms go to http://www.ento.csiro.au/biology/fly/fly.html#
The Fanniidae
Fanniidae
The Fanniidae are a small group of true flies largely confined to the Holarctic and temperate Neotropical regions.There are 11 Afrotropical species, 29 Oriental, and 14 Australasian. See Biogeographic Regions....
, which used to be a sub-family (Fanniinae) of the Muscidae share these characters, but may be separated from them by the absence of the identifying characteristics for the family Fanniidae.
Association with disease
Adults of many species passively vector pathogens for diseases such as typhoid feverTyphoid fever
Typhoid fever, also known as Typhoid, is a common worldwide bacterial disease, transmitted by the ingestion of food or water contaminated with the feces of an infected person, which contain the bacterium Salmonella enterica, serovar Typhi...
, dysentery
Dysentery
Dysentery is an inflammatory disorder of the intestine, especially of the colon, that results in severe diarrhea containing mucus and/or blood in the faeces with fever and abdominal pain. If left untreated, dysentery can be fatal.There are differences between dysentery and normal bloody diarrhoea...
, anthrax
Anthrax
Anthrax is an acute disease caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis. Most forms of the disease are lethal, and it affects both humans and other animals...
, and African sleeping sickness.
Evolution
Seven species in 6 described genera have been recorded from the fossil record. Lambrecht (1980: 369) estimated that the family Muscidae originated as long ago as the PermianPermian
The PermianThe term "Permian" was introduced into geology in 1841 by Sir Sir R. I. Murchison, president of the Geological Society of London, who identified typical strata in extensive Russian explorations undertaken with Edouard de Verneuil; Murchison asserted in 1841 that he named his "Permian...
, although no fossil record exists for the family any older than the Eocene
Eocene
The Eocene Epoch, lasting from about 56 to 34 million years ago , is a major division of the geologic timescale and the second epoch of the Paleogene Period in the Cenozoic Era. The Eocene spans the time from the end of the Palaeocene Epoch to the beginning of the Oligocene Epoch. The start of the...
.
Further reading
- Identification
- Hennig, W. (1955-64). Muscidae in Erwin LindnerErwin LindnerErwin Lindner was a German entomologist mainly interested in Diptera.He was born in Böglins, Memmingen , 7 April 1888 and died in Stuttgart 30 November 1988, aged 100 years....
, Die Fliegen der Paläarktischen Region 63b,Schweizerbart,Stuttgart. - Huckett, H.C. 1965. The Muscidae of northern Canada, Alaska and Greenland (Diptera). Memoirs of the Entomological Society of Canada 42: 1-369. 23 plates of drawings.
- Séguy, E., 1937, Diptera, family Muscidae. In: P. Wystmann (ed.), Genera Insectorum, Brussels, 205: 604. Includes a key to world genera.
- Shinonaga, S. & Kano, R.,, 1971, Fauna Japonica Muscidae (Insecta:Diptera) ,Academia press,242pp.+28Plates. Keys to Eastern Palaearctic genera of several subfamilies.
- Hennig, W. (1955-64). Muscidae in Erwin Lindner
- Gregor, Fr. et al., 2002 The Muscidae (Diptera) of Central Europe, Brno, Folia Biologia, 107.
- Biology
- Use of DNA in forensic entomologyUse of DNA in forensic entomologyForensic entomology contains three aspects: medicocriminal entomology, urban entomology, and stored product entomology. This article focuses more on the medicocriminal aspect and how DNA is analyzed with various blood feeding insects.- Blood meal extraction :...
- Skidmore, P., 1985, The biology of the Muscidae of the world. Junk, Dordrecht. Series entomologica, 29, xiv + 550p.
Species lists
- Palaearctic
- Nearctic
- Japan
- Synthesiomyia nudisetaSynthesiomyia nudisetaSynthesiomyia nudiseta is one of the largest flies in the family Muscidae. The fly has a pair of forewings; the paired hind wings have been reduced to halteres that help with stability and movement during flight. Key characteristics of this species include plumose segmented aristae, well-developed...
Other
Types in Humboldt MuseumHumboldt Museum
The Museum für Naturkunde, officially the ' or Naturkundemuseum , occasionally known as the Humboldt Museum, is a natural history museum in Berlin, Germany. Usually the museum's name is abbreviated MFN...
, Berlin http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/abstract/112417954/ABSTRACT