Hematophagous and Parasitic Diptera (Insecta) in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, USA
Author
Reeves, Will K.
Author
Adler, Peter H.
Author
Grogan, William L.
Author
Super, Paul E.
text
Zootaxa
2004
483
1
44
journal article
10.5281/zenodo.157582
f2776005-80ee-41fa-b03a-25131fcb996e
11755326
157582
21B79402-B2DD-44D9-8A17-76E64785DE9C
Family
Hippoboscidae
The
Hippoboscidae
, or flat flies and keds, are ectoparasites of birds and mammals. Males and females feed exclusively on blood. Hippoboscids are biological vectors of
Haemoproteus
blood parasites of birds and can transfer phoretic bird lice and mites from one bird to another. They are primarily tropical in distribution and species richness in the Park is relatively low.
Icosta americana
(Leach)
Collections: North
Carolina, Swain Co., Big Cove
,
23 September 1943
, ex great horned owl, coll. A. Stupka; Tennessee, Sevier Co. Dudley Creek,
1 September 1943
, ex great horned owl, coll. A. Stupka; Elkmont (664 meters,
35.6536°N
,
83.5806°W
),
12 March 1940
, ex great horned owl, coll. A. Stupka; Park Headquarters,
26 march 1976
, ex great eastern screech owl, coll. D. DeFoe.
Icosta americana
is primarily an ectoparasite of the
Accipitridae
,
Phasianidae
, and
Strigidae (
Maa 1969
)
. The Park records represent flies captured during raptor studies. While there are only four records,
I. americana
probably occurs throughout the Park on owls and other birds of prey. With the recent introduction of West Nile virus and its fatal infections in raptors, the vector potential of
I. americana
should be of interest to wildlife managers.
Brimley (1938)
stated that
I. americana
is the most common hippoboscid in North
Carolina
.
Ornithoica vicina
(Walker)
Collections: North
Carolina, Haywood Co., Purchase Knob
,
24 July 2000
, ex slatecolored junco, coll. P. Super,
1 August 2002
, ex song sparrow, coll. P. Super; Swain Co., near Oconaluftee River,
25 June 2001
, ex house finch, coll. P. Super; Gregory's Bald (1508 meters,
35.5202°N
,
83.8661°W
),
23 July 2001
, ex slatecolored junco, coll. P. Super; Tennessee, Blount Co., Gregory's Bald,
23 July 2001
, ex slatecolored junco, coll. P. Super.
Ornithoica vicina
is the smallest birdbiting hippoboscid known from the Park.
Maa (1966
,
1969
) reported collections of
O
. vicina
from 86 genera, 25 families, and 10 orders of birds, although only the
Strigiformes
and
Passeriformes
are believed to be primary hosts.
Ornithoica vicina
is a potential vector of blood parasites and lice but is not yet known to transmit either (
Lloyd 2002
). A single bird louse,
Philopterus
sp. (Mallophaga:
Philopteridae
), was attached to the hind leg of a fly removed from a house finch.
Maa (1966
,
1969
) reported chewing lice on the wings and abdomens of
O
. vicina
in the
USA
and
Ecuador
.
Ornithomyia anchineura
Speiser
Collections: North
Carolina, Haywood Co., Purchase Knob
,
23 June 2002
, ex eastern
phoebe
, coll. P. Super;
26 June 2002
, ex eastern
phoebe
, coll. P. Super;
5 July 2002
, ex slatecolored junco, coll. P. Super;
8 July 2002
, ex eastern towhee and song sparrow, coll. P. Super;
16 July 2002
, ex
Carolina
wren, coll. P. Super; Swain Co., Newfound Gap (1538 meters,
35.6108°N
,
83.4256°W
),
15 June 2000
, slatecolored junco, coll. P. Super; near Oconaluftee River,
25 June 2001
, ex house finch, coll. P. Super; Tennessee, Blount Co., Gregory's Bald,
23 July 2001
, ex slatecolored junco, coll. P. Super; Tremont Institute,
26 May 2001
and
6 June 2001
, ex American robin, coll. P. Super.
Ornithomyia anchineura
was the most frequently collected hippoboscid in the Park. However, it is larger than
O
. vicina
and might have been easier to notice and collect. This fly has been reported from 68 genera, 22 families, and 7 orders of birds (
Maa 1969
).
Ornithomyia anchineura
could be a subspecies of
O
. chloropus
Bergroth
, a Palaearctic hippoboscid (
Maa 1969
).
Ornithomyia anchineura
is a potential vector of birdblood parasites but has never been demonstrated to transmit pathogens.
Ornithomyia bequaerti
Maa
Collections: North
Carolina, Haywood Co., Purchase Knob
,
18 July 2002
, ex song sparrow, coll. P. Super; Swain Co., near Oconaluftee River,
25 June 2001
, ex house finch, coll. P. Super; Tennessee, Blount Co., Tremont Institute,
19 June 2002
, ex wood thrush, coll. P. Super.
Maa (1969)
indicated that
O
.
bequaerti
is underreported as a species because it is nearly identical to
O
. anchineura
.
Only intact adult specimens could be differentiated, but
O
.
bequaerti
appears to be less frequently collected in the Park. Alternatively, it might feed on bird species that were not mist netted.
Ornithomyia bequaerti
is restricted to small passerine birds (
Maa 1969
). It is a potential vector of birdblood parasites.