Carnus (fly) explained

Carnus is a genus of flies (Diptera) with 5 described species, all of which are parasites of birds.^[1] The adult flies locate a suitable host nest, then shed their wings and feed on the blood of the developing nestlings.^[2] Mature female flies lay their eggs in the nest, where their larvae develop on organic detritus.^[2]

Species

• C. floridensis Grimaldi, 1997^{[3] [1]}
• C. hemapterus Nitzsch, 1818^{[1] [4]}
• C. mexicana Grimaldi, 1997^{[3] [1]}
• C. occidentalis Grimaldi, 1997^{[3] [1]}
• C. orientalis Maa, 1968^{[5] [1]}

In 2014, C. orientalis was reported for the first time in Japan, parasitizing nestlings of the Ryūkyū scops owl, Otus elegans, a new host species record.^[6]

Notes and References

1. Web site: World Catalog of the Family Carnidae (Diptera, Schizophora) . Brake. Irina . 2011. MYIA . 4 January 2013.
2. Book: Barnard, Peter C. . The Royal Entomological Society Book of British Insects . 2011-09-19 . John Wiley & Sons . 978-1-4443-4496-7 . en.
3. Grimaldi . D.A. . The bird flies, genus Carnus: Species revision, generic relationships, and a fossil Meoneura in amber (Diptera: Carnidae) . American Museum Novitates . 1997 . 3190 . 1–30 . 19 January 2022.
4. Book: Chandler, Peter J. . 1998 . Checklists of Insects of the British Isles (New Series) Part 1: Diptera . . 12 . 1 . 1–234 . 0-901546-82-8 . . London .
5. Maa . T.C. . A new Carnus from Malaya (Diptera: Milichiidae) . Pacific Insects . 1968 . 10 . 33–36 . 20 January 2022.
6. Mitsuhiro Iwasa, Hironori Sakamoto, & Kento Asahi. 2014. Discovery of a Bird-Parasitic Fly, Carnus orientalis (Diptera: Carnidae), in Japan, With Bionomic Remarks and a Key to Carnus Species. Journal of Medical Entomology, 51(2): 484-488, abstract at http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/esa/jme/2014/00000051/00000002/art00023.