''Cordylobia'' is a
genus
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nom ...
of
flies
Flies are insects of the order Diptera, the name being derived from the Greek δι- ''di-'' "two", and πτερόν ''pteron'' "wing". Insects of this order use only a single pair of wings to fly, the hindwings having evolved into advanced m ...
from the
family
Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...
Calliphoridae
The Calliphoridae (commonly known as blow flies, blow-flies, carrion flies, bluebottles, greenbottles, or cluster flies) are a family of insects in the order Diptera, with almost 1,900 known species. The maggot larvae, often used as fishing ba ...
. The
larva
A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle.
...
e of ''Cordylobia'' are
parasitic
Parasitism is a close relationship between species, where one organism, the parasite, lives on or inside another organism, the host, causing it some harm, and is adapted structurally to this way of life. The entomologist E. O. Wilson ha ...
on
mammals, especially
rodent
Rodents (from Latin , 'to gnaw') are mammals of the order Rodentia (), which are characterized by a single pair of continuously growing incisors in each of the upper and lower jaws. About 40% of all mammal species are rodents. They are n ...
s. Two species, ''
C. anthropophaga'' (the tumbu fly) and ''
C. rodhaini'' (Lund's fly), also are known as parasites of humans. The adult flies feed on rotting fruits, vegetables, and animal
faeces
Feces ( or faeces), known colloquially and in slang as poo and poop, are the solid or semi-solid remains of food that was not digested in the small intestine, and has been broken down by bacteria in the large intestine. Feces contain a relati ...
, and are most abundant in the wet season. Like many tropical insects, they are most active in the morning and evening. ''Cordylobia'' species are largely confined to
Africa
Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
, though they have been recorded elsewhere when transported by human travellers.
Species
The genus consists of four species:
[Rognes, K. (2011). A review of the monophyly and composition of the Bengaliinae with the description of a new genus and species, and new evidence for the presence of Melanomyinae in the Afrotropical Region (Diptera, Calliphoridae). Zootaxa, 2964(1), 1–60. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.2964.1.1]
*''
Cordylobia anthropophaga''
( Blanchard, 1872) - tumbu fly
*''
Cordylobia rodhaini''
Gedoelst, 1910 (=''ebadiana'') - Lund's fly
*''
Cordylobia roubaudi''
Villeneuve, 1929
*''
Cordylobia ruandae''
Fain, 1953
*''Pachychoeromyia praegrandis''
Austen, 1910 was originally described as belonging to ''Cordylobia'', but is now placed in the monotypic genus ''
Pachychoeromyia''
Villeneuve, 1920.
References
Calliphoridae
Parasitic flies
Parasitic arthropods of mammals
Insects of Africa
Oestroidea genera
{{Parasite-insect-stub