SUBFAMILY MUSCINAE 331 



GENUS CORDYLOBIA, GRUNBERG 



Large brownish yellow flies resembling Auchmeromyia. Front in male 

 narrow. Abdomen rounded and not elongate. 



Three species of this essentially African genus are known, one of which 

 is the 'Thumbu fly', C. anthropophaga, Griinberg, which in its larval 

 stage (' cayor maggot ') causes cutaneous myiasis in man and animals. This 

 fly resembles A. luteola, but can be distinguished by the narrow front in 

 the male and the rounded abdomen. Nothing is definitely known as to 

 how the larvae of anthropophaga gain access to the human skin. Each 

 larva forms a large swelling in the skin which has a central opening 

 through which it breathes ; like B. depressa, it drops out when mature, 

 and pupates in the ground. 



Rhodain and Bequaert have recently studied the habits of this fly in 

 Katanga. They record the occurrence of cutaneous myiasis caused by its 

 larvae in dogs, rabbits and goats ; the larvae are nearly always found in 

 the scrotum of the animals. Several cases of human cutaneous myiasis 

 were also seen. These observers believe the fly lays its eggs on the ground 

 in places where there is a smell of human or animal perspiration, as the 

 tumours containing the larvae are always seen in parts of the body which 

 come in contact with the ground. In the case of man the fly sometimes 

 lays its eggs on clothes which are saturated with perspiration. 



THE MUSCINAE 



Small to medium-sized flies of a dark grey to black colour, rarely 

 metallic. Eyes bare or pubescent. Arista either bare or plumose, some- 

 times pectinate. Front narrow in the male. Thorax of a grey to black 

 colour commonly marked with two or more dark longitudinal bands. 

 Sternopleural bristles varying in number and arranged 0:2; 1:2; 1:3 

 or 2:2. Venation of the muscid type. Last section of fourth vein 

 either with a broad curvature about its middle, with a sharp or rounded 

 angle, or curving forwards slightly beyond its middle; first posterior 

 cell either closed or widely open. 



In the subfamily Muscinae are included the non-biting Muscidae, of which 

 there are about twelve genera. The imagines are common everywhere 

 and exhibit varying habits. A few are true domestic insects (Musca and 

 Muscina), and are common in and about dwelling houses and stables ; 

 the majority, however, are wild insects (Morellia, Pyrellia, etc.) The 

 house flies (Musca) , on account of their habits, have attracted the most 



