Musca (Byomya) lucidula ( Loew, 1856 )

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 : 10-11

Musca (Byomya) lucidula ( Loew, 1856) ( Fig. 7 )

Cyrtoneura lucidula Loew, 1856: 48 .

Specimens examined. 1f, Jazan, Sabya, Basahy Farm , 8.v.–18.vi.2013, Malaise trap, H.A. Dawah ( CERS); 1m, 1f , Jazan, Abu Aresh, Al-Mahdag Village , 1.vii.–30.viii.2010, Malaise trap, H.A. Dawah ( CERS) ; 1f, Asir, Abha, Madenate Al-Ameer Sultan, Hay Al-Sad , 25.ii.–25.v.2002, Malaise trap, H.A. Dawah ( NMWC); 1m , Asir, Maraba, Al-Hudaithy Fruit Farm , 1–17.vi.2003, Malaise trap, H.A. Dawah ( NMWC) ;1f, Jazan, Sabya, Al-Sunef mango farm, 8.v.–17.vi.2003, Malaise trap, H.A. Dawah ( NMWC) ; 1f, Al-Dawaseer, Al-Joba Village , 1.iii.–30.iv.2005, Malaise trap, H.A. Dawah ( CERS) .

Distribution. This species was previously recorded from Saudi Arabia by Büttiker et al. (1979); Dawah & Abdullah (2009); El-Hawagry et al. (2013; 2016; 2017). It was described from Egypt. In the Middle East it has been recorded from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates ( Pont 1991; Deeming 2008; Dawah & Abdullah 2009).

Biological remarks. Larvae develop in dung ( Deeming 2008). A common desert species, the adults sip sweat and blood flowing from wounds on cattle, camels, horses, donkeys and congregate and congregate on mucous membranes around the eyes and muzzles of these animals ( Pont 1991; Gregor et al. 2002). They are known to transmit certain pathogens. The females lay eggs in fresh cow dung, or in other media, since adults have been collected at localities like a watering place for camel caravans where no cattle occur ( Büttiker et al. 1979). Adults prefer open sunny pastures, apparently never being found indoors. In the laboratory the life cycle is very rapid at 27–33ºC taking only 8–9 days, of which the pupal stage lasts 5–6 days. In nature, however, especially when humidity is low in breeding sites, the species is thought to enter diapause ( Gregor et al. 2002).

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.