Parasitologia hungarica

Author(s): Kovács-Sz., F.
Title: Scanning electron microscopy of the mouthparts of Musca autumnalis, Musca domestica and Musca osiris (Diptera: Muscidae)
Title: A Musca autumnalis, Musca domestica és Musca osiris (Diptera: Muscidae) szájszerveinek scanning elektronmikroszkópos vizsgálata
Year: 1987
Volume: 20
Pages: 91-98.

Abstract: Scanning electron microscopic (SEM) observations on the mouthparts of three species of muscoid flies (Musca autumnalis, M. domestica, M. osiris) are described in order to draw attention to those structures which are able to injure the surfaces they sucked from, particularly the non-hornified epithelia of the host animals. The morphological data (toughness of chitinization, shape, length, position and sharpness of labrum and hypopharynx and those of the prestomal teeth) show that all these structures would be able to cut through almost all the layers of the different epithelia. However, a functional study of these structures (on living tissues) has proved that the microlesions were caused by the prestomal teeth and the pseudotracheal rows only; no harmful effect of the labrum and the hypopharynx could be detected. On the basis of earlier SEM morphological studies pseudotracheal rows had not been considered to have the ability to cause mechanical lesions; because of their small size, but it was found that their considerable rubbing effect cause harm to the epithelia. The features of the prestomal teeth of the three Musca species are also described from a taxonomic point of view.
Keywords: Musca autumnalis, M. domestica, M. osiris, mouthparts, SEM studies, transmission of animal diseases

Journal: Parasitologia Hungarica
Journal abbreviation:
ISSN: 0303-688X
Publisher: Kontakt Studió, Budapest
Editor(s): K. Murai, É., Thoma, A., Matskási, I. & Bottyán, O.