Musca domestica is a species of dipteran (Diptera order) belonging to the Muscidae family. It is one of the most common diptera associated with human urban planning and has been widely used in genetic research. They are known as common or house flies.
House flies are small in size, about 8 mm in length, the female being slightly larger than the male. They feed on organic substances in a liquid state, which is why their mouthparts are of the "sucking" type.
Musca domestica By Housefly_musca_domestica.jpg: Muhammad Mahdi Karimderivative work: B kimmel / GFDL 1.2 (http://www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/fdl-1.2.html)
The female of Musca domestica mates only once, storing the male's sperm in structures called spermathecae. When conditions are ideal, the female uses the stored sperm to fertilize and lay the eggs on some decomposing organic waste.
At each clutch, a female can lay about 100 eggs, which hatch about 24 hours later, to produce the larvae. Later they pass to the pupal stage, from where the adults finally emerge. As adults, they can live between two and four weeks.
The house fly is the most widely distributed insect on the planet and is closely associated with humanity. This species is a common carrier of pathogenic organisms, resulting in an important vector of some diseases such as typhoid fever, anthrax, amoebiasis, cholera, salmonellosis, among many others.
General characteristics
Habitat and distribution
Musca domestica has a cosmopolitan distribution and can be found in all human-inhabited regions of the world.
This species of insect is probably the one with the greatest association with man. This is because both their life cycle and their diet are carried out in environments that humans are conducive to such tasks. These flies feed and reproduce thanks to the decomposing organic matter that man produces.
Biological cycle
The Musca domestica species has a development with complete metamorphosis, that is, they are holometabolos. These animals go through four stages of development that are: egg, larva, pupa and adult.
Under natural conditions, females lay eggs on animal excrement, decomposing plant matter, and decomposing food such as meat (carrion).
Life cycle of a housefly. By Unknown author / Public domain
Eggs
The female can lay between 80 and 150 eggs. These are oval and measure around 1.2mm. Once the eggs have been laid, they take one or several days to hatch, depending on the ambient temperature. At higher temperatures, the shorter it takes for them to develop to the larval stage.
Larvae
Once the larvae emerge, they feed and remain in the substrate where the eggs were deposited. This substrate gives them an ideal medium to nourish themselves and develop effectively. The larvae are white, with a reddish-brown head and average 6 mm in length.
The larval stage of M. domstica consists of three different instars. This means that the larvae undergo three molts (ecdysis) before moving to the next stage of development. If the ambient temperature is low, the larvae take up to twice the time to develop.
They usually pass to the next stage between two and three weeks after hatching from the eggs.
Pupa
Once the larvae are ready to pupate, they leave the breeding place and move to a dry, dark place. The pupae are capsules formed by the cuticle of the last instar of the larvae. Said capsules measure approximately 1 mm.
As with the larval stage, the duration of the pupal stage depends on the temperature. At high temperatures (between 28 and 35 ° C) the pupa takes about four days to develop. On the other hand, in warm temperatures, it can take up to 20 days for development to complete.
Pupae emerged. Musca domestica. By Agricultural Research Service of United States Department of Agriculture
Adult
Finally, the adult emerges from the pupa, using a temporary structure that allows pressing the capsule from within, until a small hole is made through which the animal comes out.
After about 24 hours, the flies are ready to reproduce again and continue the cycle.
The lifespan of adult flies is highly related to physical activity and metabolic rate. Some studies have also shown that the adult state is more durable in solitary individuals than those who live in groups.
Feeding
In common flies there is a change in food requirements according to the stage of development in which they are. The larvae require a diet containing high levels of cholesterol to develop quickly and efficiently to the pupal stage.
Adults eat mainly rotting meat and feces, although they can also eat foods rich in carbohydrates and sugars, such as rotting fruits and vegetables.
Housefly feeding on sugar. By Dэя-Бøяg / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)
The solid foods that these animals consume are pre-digested thanks to the enzymatic action of the saliva that these flies pour on said foods, in order to be sucked into their mouthparts.
Flies play an important ecological role, as they are one of the main recyclers of organic matter. Furthermore, they are important vectors of pathogenic organisms such as parasitic protozoa and cestodes.
References
- Bharti, M. (2009). Studies on life cycles of forensically important flies, Calliphora vicina and Musca domestica nebulo at different temperatures. Journal of Entomological Research, 33 (3), 273-275.
- Hewitt, CG The Structure, Development, and Bionomics of the House-fly, Musca Domestica, Linn: Part. 1: the Anatomy of the Fly. University Press.
- González, R., & Carrejo, NS (1992). Introduction to the study of Diptera. Universidad del Valle Editorial Center, Cali.
- Sohal, RS, & Buchan, PB (1981). Relationship between physical activity and life span in the adult housefly, Musca domestica. Experimental gerontology, 16 (2), 157-162.
- West, LS (1951). The Housefly. Its natural history, medical importance, and control. Science, 115, 584.