Cook Islands Biodiversity & Natural Heritage
 

Musca domestica

Rango

Housefly

Multimedia & Additional Resources

Type Description Download
Open this image in pop-up window Image: Adult - Rarotonga 35KB
Open this image in pop-up window Image: Adults - Switzerland 35KB

General Information

COMMON NAMES: Housefly; German Stubenfliege

TRADITIONAL NAMES: Rango (MK MT AK TW), Lango (TS PK)

GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION: RANGE circumglobal

COOK ISLANDS STATUS: Introduced - Recent, Naturalised; S.Group; ?; Land

SIGNIFICANCE LIST: ; Disease spreader, Nuisance

KEY FEATURES: Small, robust fly 5-7mmBL. FACE 2 velvety stipes silver above and gold below; female has eyes widely separated; spongy sucking mouthparts. THORAX grey with 4 narrow black stripes from front to rear. ABDOMEN front 2-3 segments often cream outlined dark.

SIMILAR SPECIES: Skin Fly (Musca sorbens) has thorax with 2 black stripes (vs. 4). The similar-sized fleshfly Sarcodexia lambens has thorax with 3 black stripes.

Enlarged Image of 'Musca domestica'

Cook Islands Distribution

View Distribution Map View Distribution Map

Southern Group: Present    Makatea:
RR 
MG
AT
MK
MT
AK
PL
TK
MN
++++

Northern Group:
TN 
MH
RK
PK
NS
SW
+++

Key to Symbols

Scientific Taxonomy

Musca domestica Linnaeus, 1758
TAXONOMY: ANIMALIA; ARTHROPODA; ATELOCERATA; HEXAPODA; INSECTA; PTERYGOTA; Diptera; MUSCIDAE

More Information

SIGNIFICANCE NOTES -
NEGATIVE SIGNIFICANCE: Disease spreader, Nuisance. Comments: NBSAP - Takitumu (5 of 9 animal pests), NBSAP - Mauke (2 of 10 animals), NBSAP - Mitiaro (6 of 9 animals)

GENERAL NOTE: The most well-known and notorious fly in the world. It lives closely associated with people and domestic animals. They feed on a wide range of foods, rotting plant and animal matter, and excrement. They commonly contaminate food with bacteria and worm eggs.

Vouchers & References

Vouchers:
Pukapuka: specimen+photo, 2/2004, G.McCormack with ID as Musca domestica, to BPBM.

References:
None recorded.

Data Update History (information):
zTX, zB02, zM02

Web Resources

Citation Information

McCormack, Gerald (2007) Cook Islands Biodiversity Database, Version 2007.2. Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust, Rarotonga. Online at http://cookislands.bishopmuseum.org. Copy citation to system clipboard
Please refer to our use policy.


Search Biodiversity Database Biodiversity Database

More Options | Help
My List My List

 

 


Copyright © 2007 (July) The Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust, all rights reserved.
Copyright & Use Policy