117 



HoDHAiN (J.) & Bequaert (J.). Mat^riaux pour une Etude mono- 

 graphique des Dipteres de I'Afrique. Troisieme Partie. Dipteres 

 Parasites de I'Elephant et du Rhinoceros. -Bull. Biol. France et 

 Behjique, Paris, lii, no. 4, 25tli March 1919, pp. 379-465, 21 figs. 



At the present time five species of Dipterous larvae parasitic on 

 elephmts are known. The African elephant is the host of four 

 species, all of which have been met with in the Belgian Congo, two 

 infesting the stomach and intestine, one the oesophagus and one the 

 sole of the foot. The Asiatic elephant has so far been found to harbour 

 one only, in the stomach, though it is certain that investigation would 

 result in the discovery of many more. Treatises on the care and treat- 

 ment of the Indian elephant contain vague references to the presence 

 of Dipterous larvae in difierent organs. In Burma such parasites are 

 mentioned as occurring in tumours of the sldn, on the head, the ears 

 -and the body. 



Neocuterebra squamosa, Griinb., a parasite of the sole of the foot, 

 was first described in 1906 and is far rarer than parasites of the digestive 

 tract. The larvae occur in the inner dermal layer, which is very 

 thick and hard, almost cartilaginous, their position being irregular 

 and horizontal rather than vertical. The adult fly has never been 

 reared. 



Pharyngobolus africanus, Br., the larva of which is parasitic in the 

 oesophagus of the African elephant, has probably the same distribution 

 as its host, but it has hitherto been met with very rarely. The only 

 two adults that have been reared are in such bad preservation that 

 it is impossible to describe them or to determine their systematic 

 position. The mature larvae detach themselves from the wall of 

 the gullet and pass through the alimentary tract, being found in 

 the morning in freshly deposited excreta, from which they burrow into 

 the soil to pupate ; they are therefore never found in old excreta. 

 The pupal stage lasts for 20 or 21 days. 



The numerous gastricolous larvae received from the Belgian Congo, 

 and from which it has been possible to rear the adults, belong to two 

 quite distinct species, Cobboldia chrysidiformis, Rodh. & Beq., and 

 C. loxodontis, Br., the pupal stage of both being 19 or 20 days. Mating 

 -and o^dposition have frequently been observed in the case of 

 C. chrysidiformis, but not in C. loxodontis. 



A third allied species parasitic in the stomach and intestine of the 

 Asiatic elephant is C. elephantis, Steel, the adults and third stage 

 larvae of wliich are known, but in which oviposition has not yet been 

 observed. The pupal period is short, only 16 days elapsing between 

 the expulsion of the mature larvae and the emergence of the adult fly. 



Rhinoceros Oestrids belong to four species : — Gyrostigma sumatrensis, 

 Br., described from larvae in the stomach of R. sumatrensis and 

 R. lasiotis from indi\dduals that died in capti\dty ; G. conjungens, 

 described from larvaie in the stomach of R. bicornis from East Africa, 

 the adults of both these species being unknown ; G. meruensis, Sjost., 

 described from larvae in the stomach of R. bicornis, from East Africa, 

 and from an adult female captured in Abyssinia, the male being 

 unknov/n and the length of the pupal period being about 6 weeks ; 

 ^. pavesii, Cort., described from larvae in the stomach of the African 

 M. bicornis and R. simus cottoni and from adults of both sexes. The 



