•We provide a summary of tabanid morphology, biology and life cycle.•We highlight their medical and veterinary importance.•We discuss parameters of mechanical transmission and its mathematical ...modeling.•We summarize the control methods for tabanid populations and livestock protection.•We provide recommandations for the direction of future research.
Tabanids are nuisance pests for people and livestock because of their painful and irritating bite, persistent biting behavior, and blood ingestion. About 4400 tabanid species have been described; they are seasonally present in all kinds of landscapes, latitudes, and altitudes. High populations have a significant economic impact on outdoor activities, tourism, and livestock production. Tabanids are also vectors of animal disease agents, including viruses, bacteria and parasites. However, tabanids have received little attention in comparison with other hematophagous Diptera. Here, we highlight the many direct and indirect impacts of tabanids and provide a brief summary of tabanid morphology, biology, and life cycle. Impacts include pathogen transmission, parasite transportation (Dermatobia hominis), biological transmission (Loa loa), and mechanical transmission of viruses, such as equine infectious anemia virus, protozoa, such as Trypanosoma evansi and Besnotia besnoiti, and bacteria, such as Bacillus anthracis and Anaplasma marginale. We discuss parameters of mechanical transmission and its mathematical modeling. Control methods for tabanid populations are also summarized; these include trapping, the use of insecticides, repellents, and livestock protection. Lastly recommendations are provided for the direction of future research.
In the subfamily Stomoxyinae there are currently 18 recognized Stomoxys species, plus two subspecies. Most Stomoxys knowledge was gained through studies with S. calcitrans, a cosmopolitan species, ...economic pest, and vector. Other Stomoxys spp. are known only from a few trapped adult specimens. Herein, the Stomoxys spp. have been grouped by their ecological diversity, global distribution, and phylogeny and phylogeography. Seven species are dependent to some degree on humans and their activities, particularly animal production. Eleven species are dependent on wildlife to some degree for their development, and little is known about their biology in many cases. Global distributions include one cosmopolitan species (S. calcitrans), twelve species found only in Africa, four species only in Asia, and one species (S. sitiens) in Africa and Asia. Most genetic studies on Stomoxys calcitrans showed little variation in North America, possibly due to the adults’ long range flight capability. Phylogeographic analysis of S. calcitrans showed a differentiation between Oriental populations (first lineage) and populations from Afrotropical, Palearctic, Nearctic, Neotropical and Oceanian regions (second lineage). Genetic studies were followed by sequencing of the Stomoxys calcitrans genome and phylogenetic studies of the Stomoxys genus using 10 of the known species. Phylogenetic relationships were established.
Stable flies,
, stand as formidable pests with a global impact, inflicting significant economic losses on the livestock sector. Larval development occurs in diverse substrates, including decomposing ...plant material and manure, while emerged adults pose a threat through blood-feeding on both animals and humans. Conventional chemical control methods, predominantly reliant on insecticides, not only pose environmental risks but also face challenges of resistance among stable fly populations. To address this pressing issue, we propose an integrated pest management (IPM) strategy for stable fly control. This approach involved a combination of sanitary-cultural practices, animal protection, the release of natural enemies targeting immature stages, and a specialized trapping system for adults. The Stomoxycc
trap, designed for mass trapping of adult
, was employed alongside the release of the predatory mite
and two wasp parasitoids,
and
(under the commercial brands Biomite
and Biowasp
) on animal bedding as a key component of this IPM strategy. The implementation of this initiative has been undertaken at a significant sanctuary for donkeys and mules in western Spain. In this publication, we present the application and results of the IPM strategy utilized and provide insights into its use as a sustainable and environmentally friendly option for controlling stable fly populations.
(Linnaeus, 1758) (Diptera: Muscidae) is a cosmopolitan hematophagous ectoparasite of veterinary and medical importance. It is an important mechanical vector of several animal pathogens and can cause ...significant economic losses. However, the morphological variation of this species remains unknown. This study aimed to investigate the phenotypic variation in the wing size and shape of
populations in Thailand based on a landmark-based geometric morphometric approach. Specimens were collected from five populations in five geographical regions in Thailand. A total of 490 left wings of
(245 female and 245 male individuals) were used for geometric morphometric analysis. Wing size differences were detected between some populations of
, whereas wing shape differences were found among populations. Therefore, the phenotypic variation in
populations indicated that these populations are adaptive responses to local environmental pressures, suggesting the presence of phenotypic plasticity in this species.
Haematobosca is a genus of biting fly within the subfamily Stomoxyinae of the family Muscidae. It is currently recognized to include 16 species worldwide. These species, acting as ectoparasites, are ...considered to have significant importance in the veterinary and medical fields. To address the color polymorphism related to the genus Haematobosca in Thailand, herein, we focused on the normal (legs mainly black) and yellow (legs mainly yellow) morphs of Haematobosca sanguinolenta and examined them for genetic differences using three molecular markers: the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) and cytochrome b (cytb) genes from the mitochondrial genome as well as the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) region from the nuclear ribosomal DNA. In addition, we analyzed wing differences between the two morphs using geometric morphometrics (GM). The genetic divergences between the two morphs showed that cytb gene showed the greatest divergence, for which the average distance was 5.6%. This was followed by the combination of cox1-cytb-ITS2, exhibiting an average divergence of 4.5%, ITS2 with a divergence of 4.1%, and finally cox1, showing the lowest divergence of 3.5%. Phylogenetic analyses distinctly separated the two morphs of H. sanguinolenta; this separation was supported by high bootstrap values (97–100%). These results were further corroborated by three species delimitation methods, i.e. assemble species by automatic partitioning (ASAP), automated barcode gap discovery (ABGD), and Poisson tree processes (PTP), all of which suggested that the two morphs likely represent separate species. In addition, a GM study identified a statistically significant difference in wing shape between the two morphs of H. sanguinolenta (P < 0.05). This combination of genetic and morphometric results strongly supports the existence of two distinct species within H. sanguinolenta in Thailand.
Display omitted
•Analysis of cox1, cytb and ITS2 loci revealed genetic differences between two morphs of Haematobosca sanguinolenta.•Wing geometric morphometrics also revealed differences between the two morphs of H. sanguinolenta.•Genetic and morphometric data suggest the existence of two distinct species within H. sanguinolenta.
Ticks are arthropods and the most important vectors of major human diseases after mosquitoes. Due to their impact on public health, in vitro and in vivo assays have been developed to identify ...molecules with repellent activities on ticks. Repellents are useful to reduce tick bite exposure and the potential transmission of pathogens; they can be used topically or in impregnated clothing. Presently, mainly synthetic molecules are commercialized as skin repellents, e.g., N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide (DEET), IR3535, picaridin or KBR 3023, and para-menthanediol. Permethrin is largely used for fabric impregnation. Intensive research has been conducted to identify new molecules with repellent activity and more recently, plant-derived molecules, as an alternative to synthetic molecules.
Anecdotal evidence of pyrethroid insecticide product failure for the control of stable fly Stomoxys calcitrans (L.) populations in the United States and worldwide prompted us to evaluate the ...frequency of knockdown resistance (kdr)-type polymorphisms within the voltage-sensitive sodium channel (Vssc) gene of field collected specimens from the United States, France, Costa Rica, and Thailand. The kdr-his allele (L1014H), associated with permethrin resistance, was detected in stable flies from the 10 states sampled in the United States, as well as from Costa Rica and France (Toulouse). Field collections of stable flies from California (Modesto) and New York (Cliffton Springs) exhibited reduced susceptibility upon exposure to a diagnostic permethrin concentration of 10× LC99, but survival did not appear to strictly associate with frequency of the kdr-his allele. This suggests that there are additional resistance mechanisms contributing to the phenotype in these states. The kdr allele (L1014F) was detected for the first time in stable flies originating in France and Thailand, and an improved, DNA-based diagnostic assay was developed and validated for use in future screens for kdr and kdr-his allele frequencies from field collections. The absence of kdr in United States and Costa Rica populations suggests that the allele is currently restricted to Europe and Asia.
The genus
Bezzi, 1907 (Diptera: Muscidae) contains haematophagous flies of veterinary importance. A new fly species of this genus was recognised from northern Thailand based on morphological ...characters and described as
Pont, Duvallet & Changbunjong, 2020. In the present study, the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) gene was used to confirm the morphological identification of
. In addition, landmark-based geometric morphometrics was used to determine sexual dimorphism. The molecular analysis was conducted with 10 COI sequences. The results showed that all sequences were 100% identical. The sequence was not highly similar to reference sequences from GenBank and did not match any identified species from Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD). Phylogenetic analysis clearly differentiated this species from other species within the subfamily Stomoxyinae. For geometric morphometric analysis, a total of 16 wing pictures were analysed using the landmark-based approach. The results showed significant differences in wing shape between males and females, with a cross-validated classification score of 100%. The allometric analysis showed that wing shape has no correlation with size. Therefore, the COI gene is effective in species identification of
, and geometric morphometrics is also effective in determining sexual dimorphism.
PDF