MYIASIS— TYPES OF INJURY, LIFE HISTORY, HABITS 195 



Many species of Oestrids occur in the head passages of African 

 animals. Rhinoestrus hippopotami Griinberg occurs in the skulls of 

 hippopotami and apparently this species attacks hogs. The genera 

 Gedoelstia and Kirkioestrus each contain species which infest the head 

 sinuses of African wild mammals. 



BLOODSUCKING FORMS 



This mode of attack is not generally considered myiasis but it seems 

 to have a logical place in this discussion. All of the species having 

 bloodsucking habits developed among their larvae are to be found in 

 the family Muscidae. Up to the present time there seems to be com- 

 paratively little importance attached to them, although such forms as the 

 Congo floor maggot may be responsible for the introduction of disease 

 germs into man. 



America. — The only representatives of this group found in North 

 America are Phormia azurea (Fallen) Villeneuve and P. chrysorrhcea 

 (Meigen) Rodhain and Bequaert. The first mentioned species is found 

 commonly in Europe where it was first recorded as feeding in the larval 

 stage on nestlings of the sparrow and other birds. This same habit 

 has been observed in the United States. The second form, which is quite 

 common in the nests of larks and other birds in the southwestern states, 

 appears to' cause a definite dermal myiasis as the larvae are frequently 

 found partially imbedded in the wings, legs and body tissues of fledglings. 

 The fly, Mydaea pici Macquart, is reported as infesting young birds in a 

 similar way in Brazil.^ 



Europe. — Phormia azurea (above mentioned) is quite common in the 

 nests of birds in France and P. sordida (Zetterstedt) Roubaud has similar 

 habits. 



Africa. — The form which is especially interesting and important 

 in this group is the African floor maggot, Auchmeromyia luteola (Fab- 

 ricius). This fly appears to be very closely- associated with man. The 

 adults are found in the dwellings and about latrines in tropical and 

 sub-tropical Africa. The eggs are deposited on the dry soil of the floors 

 of native huts, especially under sleeping mats. The larvas come out at 

 night and attack the sleepers, filling with blood in a very short time. 

 The adult is also a blood-suoker. The larval stage occupies about fif- 

 teen days and the pupal stage about eleven days. The larvae do not 

 burrow into the tissues but simply attack the skin with the mouth hooks 

 and suck the blood. 



' Plath has reported recently on the occurrence in the nest of a robin lavvae of a 

 new species, Phormia metaUica Townsend. He also discovered in birds' nests, larvae 

 of a new species of Anthomyidae, Hylemyia nidicola Aldrich. The latter probably 

 feeds on dead birds only. 



