Philornis Explained

Philornis is a genus of around 50 species of fly (Diptera, Muscidae) from Central and South America. Their larvae are subcutaneous parasites of nestling birds.[1] They are sometimes referred to as "bot flies", though they are not related to true bot flies (family Oestridae).

Two species are also found in the southern United States. One species, P. downsi, has been accidentally introduced to the Galapagos Archipelago, posing a major threat to some of its endemic birds.[2] [3]

They parasitize a wide range of bird species including psittacines. A study in the Peruvian Amazon compared parasite prevalence among different nests of scarlet macaws at the Tambopata research site, to see whether any of the nest types resulted in higher infestation.[4] Parasite prevalence was significantly lower in natural nest hollows than in artificial nest boxes. The most extreme intensity was 63 larvae per chick, which is higher than those found for other Neotropical parrots.[5] The study also described a new and efficient technique to remove larvae using a reverse syringe design snake bite extractor.

Species

Notes and References

  1. Couri. M. S.. Carvalho . C. J. B.. 2003. Systematic Relations Among Philornis Meinert, Passeromyia Rodhain & Villeneuve and Allied Genera (Diptera, Muscidae). Braz. J. Biol.. 63. 2. 223–32. 10.1590/s1519-69842003000200007. 14509844. free.
  2. Bulgarella . Mariana . Lincango . M. Piedad . Lahuatte . Paola F. . Oliver . Jonathan D. . Cahuana . Andrea . Ramírez . Ismael E. . Sage . Roxanne . Colwitz . Alyssa J. . Freund . Deborah A. . Miksanek . James R. . Moon . Roger D. . Causton . Charlotte E. . Heimpel . George E. . Persistence of the invasive bird-parasitic fly Philornis downsi over the host interbreeding period in the Galapagos Islands . Scientific Reports . 2022 . 12 . 2325 . 2325 . 10.1038/s41598-022-06208-5 . 35149738 . 8837626 . 2022NatSR..12.2325B . 246776484 . free .
  3. Book: Couri . M. S. . Myiasis caused by obligatory parasites Ia. Philornis Meinert (Muscidae). In Guimarães J. H., Papavero N. (eds.), Myiasis in man and animals in the Neotropical region; . 1999 . Editora Pleiade . São Paulo, Brazil. . 44–70.
  4. Olah . George . Vigo . Gabriela . Ortiz . Lizzie . Rozsa . Lajos . Brightsmith . Donald J. . 2013 . Philornis sp. bot fly larvae in free living scarlet macaw nestlings and a new technique for their extraction . Veterinary Parasitology . en . 196 . 1–2 . 245–249 . 10.1016/j.vetpar.2012.12.052. 23384580 .
  5. Seixas . G. H. F. . Mourao . G. . 2003 . Growth of nestlings of the blue-fronted amazon (Amazona aestiva) raised in the wild or in captivity . Ornitologia Neotropical . 14 . 295–305.
  6. Couri . M. S. . Notes and descriptions of Philornis flies (Diptera, Muscidae, Cyrtoneurinininae). . Rev. Bras. Entomol. . 1984 . 28 . 473–490.
  7. Dodge. H. Rodney. Aitken. Thomas H. G.. Philornis Flies from Trinidad (Diptera: Muscidae). Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society. 1968. 41. 1. 134–154. 25083688. Kansas (Central States) Entomological Society.