Wohlfahrtia magnifica
Encyclopedia
Wohlfahrtia magnifica, the spotted flesh fly, or sometimes called the screwworm fly, though species of flies from other families go by this name. It is a species of fly belonging to the family
Sarcophagidae . The adults are about 6–10 mm in length, 3 instar larva
e are 5-7mm in length.
in mammal
s, mainly in sheep, but also in cattle, goat
, horse
s and rarely in human
. In sheep, larvae chiefly infest genitalia or open wounds. In human W. magnifica larvae may infest the ear, eye, mouth or nose, damaging living tissues. they may also infest open wounds, including post surgery.
, the Middle East
, North Africa
and China
.. Their range is increasing, believed to because of spread of intensive sheep rearing.
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
Sarcophagidae . The adults are about 6–10 mm in length, 3 instar larva
Larva
A larva is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle...
e are 5-7mm in length.
Myiasis
Wohlfahrtia magnifica larvae cause myiasisMyiasis
Myiasis is a general term for infection by parasitic fly larvae feeding on the host's necrotic or living tissue. Colloquialisms for myiasis include flystrike, blowfly strike, and fly-blown. In Greek, "myia" means fly....
in mammal
Mammal
Mammals are members of a class of air-breathing vertebrate animals characterised by the possession of endothermy, hair, three middle ear bones, and mammary glands functional in mothers with young...
s, mainly in sheep, but also in cattle, goat
Goat
The domestic goat is a subspecies of goat domesticated from the wild goat of southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the Bovidae family and is closely related to the sheep as both are in the goat-antelope subfamily Caprinae. There are over three hundred distinct breeds of...
, horse
Horse
The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
s and rarely in human
Human
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
. In sheep, larvae chiefly infest genitalia or open wounds. In human W. magnifica larvae may infest the ear, eye, mouth or nose, damaging living tissues. they may also infest open wounds, including post surgery.
Distribution
W. magnifica is found in southern Europe, Asiatic RussiaRussia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
and China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
.. Their range is increasing, believed to because of spread of intensive sheep rearing.