A confirmed feeding attempt by the haematophagous horse fly Philoliche (Philoliche) rondani (Bertoloni, 1861) (Diptera: Tabanidae) on fresh carrion

Benjamin Miller; Martin Villet; John Mark Midgley

doi:10.3897/BDJ.10.e77507

A confirmed feeding attempt by the haematophagous horse fly Philoliche (Philoliche) rondani (Bertoloni, 1861) (Diptera: Tabanidae) on fresh carrion

Biodivers Data J. 2022 Mar 31:10:e77507. doi: 10.3897/BDJ.10.e77507. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Benjamin Miller¹, Martin Villet^{1

2}, John Mark Midgley^{3

1}

Affiliations

¹ Rhodes University, Makhanda, South Africa Rhodes University Makhanda South Africa.
² Southern African Forensic Entomology Research Laboratory, Makhanda, South Africa Southern African Forensic Entomology Research Laboratory Makhanda South Africa.
³ KwaZulu-Natal Museum, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa KwaZulu-Natal Museum Pietermaritzburg South Africa.

Abstract

Background: Many flies have specially evolved feeding mechanisms to imbibe liquids of specific viscosities. Observations of feeding on atypical liquids are notable because of their rarity.

New information: We report the first record of intrusive fluid feeding on vertebrate carrion by Philolicherondani.

Keywords: anticoagulant; feeding evolution; forensic entomology; haematophagous insects.

Benjamin Miller, Martin Villet, John Mark Midgley.