Musca (Musca) domestica Linnaeus, 1758

Dawah, Hassan A., Abdullah, Mohammed A. & Deeming, John C., 2020, The Muscidae (Diptera) of Saudi Arabia, descriptions of two new species, new records and updated list of species, Zootaxa 4869 (1), pp. 1-54 : 12-14

Musca (Musca) domestica Linnaeus, 1758

Musca (Musca) domestica Linnaeus, 1758: 596 .

Distribution. This species was previously recorded from Saudi Arabia by Abu-Thuraya (1982); Arafat (1974); Büttiker et al. (1979); Dabbour (1979b); Dabbour et al. (1980); Pont (1980; 1991); Dawah & Abdullah (2009); El-Hawagry et al. (2013; 2016; 2017; 2018). It was described from Europe and America.

Taxonomic remarks. Pont (1991: 327) discussed the status of various forms/species (especially Musca (Musca) domestica calleva Walker, 1849 and Musca (Musca) domestica Linnaeus, 1758 ) within the domestica -complex in the Arabian Peninsula. M. domestica is one of the most widespread of all animals, having followed man to all parts of the world. Although it does not bite us, adults are dangerous vectors of different pathogens when they land on our food and these pathogens reach our digestive and respiratory systems. Its public health significance in Saudi Arabia has been reviewed by Büttiker et al. (1979). Its world-wide distribution and huge numbers make it one of the world’s worst pests. House-fly eggs are laid in decaying material of animal and or plant origin where the rate of fermentation is high ( Skidmore 1985) such as rubbish dumps and manure heaps being particularly favoured. There are three subspecies with considerable differences in their biology and behaviour, M. (M.) domestica domestica L., M. (M.) domestica calleva Walker and M. (M.) domestica curviforceps Sacca & Rivosecchi ( Hulley 1979) .

Musca (Musca) domestica Linnaeus, 1758 ( Fig. 9 ); spp. calleva Walker, 1849: 905 .

Musca (Musca) domestica Linnaeus, 1758: 596 .

Musca domestica ssp. calleva . Büttiker et al. (1979): 360

Specimens examined. 3m, Najran, Al-Shurfa, Saleh Maqbol Farm , 6–28.iii.2014, Malaise trap, H.A. Dawah ( CERS; NMWC); 1f, same data but 1–29.iv.2013 ; 6m, Asir, Abha, Hay Al-Nusub (Abha farm centre), 3.iii.–3.vi.2001, Malaise trap, H.A. Dawah ( NMWC; CERS); 1f, Asir, Abha, Madenate Al-Ameer Sultan, Hay Al-Sad, 25.ii.–25.v.2002, Malaise trap, H.A. Dawah ( NMWC) .

Distribution. This subspecies was previously recorded from Saudi Arabia by Büttiker et al. (1979); Pont (1991); Dawah & Abdullah (2009); El-Hawagry et al. (2016). It was described from South Africa. Büttiker et al. (1979) believed that M. (Musca) calleva is more or less restricted to the Afrotropical Region. He also mentioned that this subspecies had been found in the Western and Central region of Saudi Arabia, but never in the Eastern region. In the Middle East it is known from Bahrain, Egypt, Oman, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and Yemen ( Pont 1980; Pont 1991; Deeming 2008).

Biological remarks. Büttiker et al. (1979) reported that M. (Musca) calleva occurs in slaughterhouses, hospitals, garbage dumps and outdoors in Saudi Arabia. Under warm conditions the whole life cycle may be complete in two weeks. Covering breeding sites with soil is one of the best ways of reducing house-fly populations.

Taxonomic remarks. Al-Ahmadi & Salem (1999) listed Musca cuthbertsoni Patton as a synonym of M. (Musca) calleva . M. (Musca) calleva can be identified by the reduced size of the anterior post sutural dorsocentral setae. Pont (1986) stated that M. (Musca) calleva appears to occur sympatrically with M. domestica domestica , though there is most likely an ecological separation since hybridization appears not to occur, according to the limited amount of material available for him. Al-Ahmadi & Salem (1999) listed Musca cuthbertsoni and M. vicina under the genus Musca . These species are in fact synonyms of Musca (M.) domestica ( Pont 1980) . Therefore they are not listed in Table 2.

Musca (Musca) domestica Linnaeus, 1758 ( Fig. 10 ); spp. domestica Linnaeus, 1758: 596 .

Specimens examined. 1m, 1f, Jazan, Abu Aresh, Al-Mahdag Village , 1.vii.–30.viii.2010, Malaise trap, H.A. Dawah ( CERS) .

Distribution. This subspecies was previously recorded from Saudi Arabia by Büttiker et al. (1979); Dabbour (1979 a,b); Dabbour & El-Dawy (1981). It was described from Europe and America. In the Middle East it has been recorded fron Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Turkey, UAE and Yemen ( Pont 1991; Deeming 2008).

Biological remarks. Skidmore (1985: 230) reported that this species breeds in dung (especially horse manure) and in numerous decaying substances where the rate of fermentation is high. Büttiker et al. (1979: 358) discussed the public health significance of this species in Saudi Arabia and suggested that it is the most common synanthropic species there.

Figures

FIGURE. 6–9. Muscidae species habitus: 6) Musca (Byomya) lasiophthalma Thomson, 1869, Male; 7) Musca (Byomya) lucidula Loew, 1856, Female; 8) Musca (Lissosterna) albina Wiedemann, 1830, Female; 9) Musca domestica L., ssp. calleva Walker, 1849, Male.

FIGURE. 10–13. Muscidae species habitus: 10) Musca (Musca) domestica L., 1758, ssp. domestica, L, Female; 11) Musca (Philaematomyia) crassirostris Stein in Becker, 1903, Female; 12) Neomyia albigena (Stein, 1913), Female; 13) Neomyia nudissima (Loew, 1852).