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Journal of Purity, Utility Reaction and Environment Vol.5 No.2, April 2016, 61-72
Abundance of some Myiasis cause flies
in the Marshes of Basrah, Southern
IRAQ
K.S.Hassan 1,a*, N.A.Al-Mansour1
A.N.Gynhum 1
1 Dept. of Biology, Coll. of Science, Univ. of Basrah, Basrah,
IRAQ
a kadhimhadlag@gmail.com
Article Info
Received: 28th November 2015
Accepted: 1st December 2015
Published online: 1st April 2016
ISSN (Online): 2232-1179
I ISSN (Print): 2314-8101
© 2012 Design for Scientific Renaissance All rights reserved
ABSTRACT
Studying was carried out over one year from 5/9/2007 – 25/8/2008, to static the flies that causes maysis
abundance in some marshes of southern IRAQ. Results showed that there are more than ten species,
belong to 7 genera and 3 families, were distributed all around the marshes, namely: Chrysomya
albiceps, C. megacephala, Calliphora vomitoria, Ca.vicina, Ca. terrae-novae, Ca. livida, Lucilia
caeser, L.sericata, L. cuprina ,Cordylobia anthropophaga, Wohlfahrtia vigils, sarcophaga
haemorrhoidalis, Musca domestica, Fannia canicularis. Description of all species, illustrated diagrams
drawing by Lucida camera, were provided.
Keyword: Myiasis flies, Taxonomical, marshes of Basrah
1. Introduction
Iraqi Ahwars considered as One of the largest water ecosystem in the middle east, it is about
2000 squares kilometers of land, its population about 500000 peoples, where been benefit from
its resources such as fishes, birds, water buffalos, wild aquatic plants (reed, calloil and
sedage), also cultivated plants such as rice, maize and date palm) (Al-Mayah et al. 2014).
Screwworms are fly larvae (maggots) that feed on living flesh. These parasites infest all
mammals and, rarely, birds. Two different species of flies cause screwworm myiasis
Screwworms can enter wounds as small as a tick bite Left untreated, infestations can be fatal
(Zamput, 1965), these insects may attacks dog, wolf or any wild animals (Alhilaify, 2008).
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Journal of Purity, Utility Reaction and Environment Vol.5 No.2, April 2016, 61-72
For this reason ,studying myiasis study in different parts of the world, e.g. in Iran (Talori et al.
2004), in india (Bapat, 2000) in China (Jiang, 2002) , in Australia (Spradbery, 1981). Here in
Iraq many works have been done (Abdul-Rassoul et al. 1996; Alhadalg & Aziz 2005; Abul-
Hab, 2000 and Al-halify, 2008).
Such environment is quite suitable for many parasitic insects, where a lot of domestic animals,
dogs, wolf that feeding on the blood of domestics animals own by the population of Al-Ahwar,
many of these insects are causing myiasis , and that of course , get a dangerous for both human
and animals.
Because of no such study has been done before, an integrated work has been started on that
marshes to record the insects that may cause Myiasis , present paper including the first part,
which include the family callophoridae.
2. Material and methods
Collection of the adults insects was carried out over one year from 5/9/2007 – 25/8/2008,
at two marshes of Basrah province, these are:
Al-Qurana marshes, including , alshahin, al-sharsh, bany Monsour and al-saad marsh.
Al-Huzia marshes
Collection was done every week, by preparing pheromone traps provided by the veterinary
hospital together with the pheromone , these traps left for 24 hours, then after which
specimens were lifted carefully from the adhesive material that the trap contain , then kept in a
big envelops, and brought to the laboratory.
In the laboratory, specimens were preliminary classified to the family, and to the genus if that
possible, by quick exam under binuclear microscope, then kept in refrigerator under cool
temperature, deep classification was done from time to time depend on the time available. All
species were illustrated by drawing the important parts of the body using Lucida camera.
Identification was done following many keys e.g Spradbery (1980), Zamput (1965).
3. Results and Discussion
Seven species belong to three genera of the family calliphoridae, were recorded from marshes
of basrah, these are:
1. Genus: Chrysomya
i. C. albiceps
ii. C. megacephala
2. Genus: Calliphora
i. Ca. vomitoria
ii. Ca. vicina
iii. Ca. terrae-novae
iv. Ca. livida
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Journal of Purity, Utility Reaction and Environment Vol.5 No.2, April 2016, 61-72
3. Genus: Lucilia
i. L. cuprina
ii. L.sericata
iii. L.caeser
Here is below an a short description for each of these species
3.1 Genus: Chrysomya
Adults with bright metallic blue or green, 5-12 mm length, antenna with plumose arista, dorsal
side of prothorax with two black bands, base of the wing with dense ling hairs, dorsal side of
the posterior end of the abdomen with narrow black bands.
3.1.1 Chrysomya albiceps:
Adult with shine green – green bluish colour, 5-10 mm length, 2.9-3.7 mm width. Head round,
compound eyes oval, with red colour, Thorax with. Spiracle white or faint in colour, 2 spines
in its broad end. Wing scale white , with yellow hairs on its dorsal end, legs either red or black.
Abdomen with black strips on the dorsal of its segments.
Fig. 1. Chrysomya albiceps: A: Anterior view of female head capsual; B: Anterior view of
male head capsual.; C: wing scale; D: thoracic spiracle.
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Journal of Purity, Utility Reaction and Environment Vol.5 No.2, April 2016, 61-72
3.1.2 Ch. megacephala
Adults with shiny greenish or bluish colour, head round, eyes pink or red. Thorax without,
spiracle black or brown, with single spine at its broad end. Legs black or brown. Wing scale
brown, with black hair. In Abdomen, 2nd and 3rd segments with black band.
Fig. 2. Chrysomya megacephala: A: Anterior view of female head capsual; B: Anterior view
of male head capsual; C: thoracic spiracle; D: wing scale.
3.2 Genus: Calliphora:
Adults bright metallic blue, 5-14 mm length, arista of antenna plumose, thorax without bands,
abdomen with more long hairs than thorax, base of wing with dense long hairs, abdomen with
short hairs.
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Journal of Purity, Utility Reaction and Environment Vol.5 No.2, April 2016, 61-72
3.2.1 C. vomitoria
Bluish insects with red cheek, gena black covered with red hairs on dorsal and ventral sides.
Thorax bright metallic blue, without…, base of the wing black. Leg black. Abdomen bright
green, with hairs at its end.
Fig. 3. Calliphora vomitoria: A: Anterior view of female head capsual;B: Anterior view of
male head capsual; C: wing; C. vicinia.
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Journal of Purity, Utility Reaction and Environment Vol.5 No.2, April 2016, 61-72
3.2.2 C. vicinia
Body strong, deep blue to black in colour, Head with bright orange cheeks, gena with black
hairs. Thorax black-gray, its dorsal side with dense brown hairs, wing base yellow or pink, legs
brown to black. Abdomen bright blue to black with shiny silver hairs at its end.
Fig. 4. Calliphora vicina: A: Anterior view of female head capsual; B: Anterior view of male
head capsual; C: wing
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Journal of Purity, Utility Reaction and Environment Vol.5 No.2, April 2016, 61-72
3.2.3 C. terrae-novae
Blusih green , gena black,face with black hairs, thorax green or greenish blue, with hairs, wing
base black, legs black. Abdomen bright green, with erect hairs at its end.
Fig. 5. Calliphora terrae-novae: A: Anterior view of female head capsual; B: Anterior view of
male head capsual; C: wing.
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Journal of Purity, Utility Reaction and Environment Vol.5 No.2, April 2016, 61-72
3.2.4 C. livida
Greenish blue, 8-11 mm length, gena of the head covered with black hairs, Thorax green or
bluish with dense hairs, base of the wing yellow, legs black. Abdomen shiny greenish bluish.
Fig. 6. Calliphora lividae: A: Anterior view of female head capsual;B: Anterior view of
male head capsual;C: wing.
3.3 Genus: Lucila
Body with bright metallic green-bluish. 5-13 mm length. Arista plumose, thorax without bands,
scale of wing without hairs. Abdomen with green or greenish blue or even matalic blue.
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Journal of Purity, Utility Reaction and Environment Vol.5 No.2, April 2016, 61-72
3.3.1 L.cuprina
Adults bright green or blue, 5-10 mmm length, head round, compound eyes red-brown, 1-6-2.1
mm length, 1.1-1.3 mm width, surrounding with short silver hairs, thorax green with long
spine, femur and tibia with hairs, wing base yellow. Abdomen bright green to greenish blue,
posterior end of segments 1&2 without spine.
Fig. 7. Lucilia cuprina: A: Anterior view of female head capsual; B: Anterior view of male
head capsual; C: wing.
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Journal of Purity, Utility Reaction and Environment Vol.5 No.2, April 2016, 61-72
3.3.2 L. sericata
It is look like L.cuprina, head round, brown, vertex with long spine like hairs (10-11 mm), post
vertex spine short, straight, cheek without hairs. Thorax green or green blue in colour, with
long spine like hairs, wing base yellow, scale of wing. legs black or brown. Abdomen bright
green or greenish blue, posterior margin of the tergum of 1&2 segments without spine, but with
long hairs.
Fig. 8. Lucilia sericata: A: Anterior view of female head capsual; B: Anterior view of male
head capsual; C: wing.
3.3.3 L.caeser
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Bright green or blue, 6-11 mm length, vertex bright black or black greenish, ocelli big, thorax
bright greenish blue, with strong spine like hairs on the dorsal side, wing base black or brown,
wing scale without hairs, abdomen without long hairs on the 3rd segment.
Fig. 9. Lucilia caeser: A: Anterior view of female head capsual; B: Anterior view of male head
capsual; C: wing.
Though many flies causes myiasis were recorded from marshes of Basrah/ Iraq this paper
discussed only the family Calliphoridae, because is the most common family, as well as it is a
facultative family attack both dead and live animals, some could be feed on flower.
Different between the number of species of each of the three genera, is quite obvious as
Calliphora recorded the highest, this could depending on the method they attack the host, as
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Journal of Purity, Utility Reaction and Environment Vol.5 No.2, April 2016, 61-72
well as the animals available could be prefer species than other, Calliphora is the most
common genus, and it is responsible for myiasis in human and animals.
Though the number of species for each genus is not wide different, as 2 for chrysomya, 4 for
Calliphora and 3 for Lucilia , ecological study show the number of Calliphora is quite higher
than other genera, and from here the importance of the genus comes.
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