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Home / Equine Research Bank / PLoS One / Gasterophilus flavipes (Oestridae: Gasterophilinae): A horse...
PloS one2019; 14(8); e0220820; doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0220820

Gasterophilus flavipes (Oestridae: Gasterophilinae): A horse stomach bot fly brought back from oblivion with morphological and molecular evidence.

Abstract: Species of Gasterophilus Leach are obligate parasites in domestic and wild equids and responsible for cosmopolitan gasterophilosis. Although with only eight species known so far, they have received considerable attention because of their significant veterinary and economic importance. Surprisingly, we found that G. flavipes (Olivier) is a valid species based on morphological characters from male, female and the egg, after spending half a century as a synonym of G. haemorrhoidalis (Linnaeus). In the present study, G. flavipes, G. haemorrhoidalis and G. inermis (Brauer), which are the three closely related species possessing a remarkable mixture of shared morphological characters, are diagnosed and comparatively redescribed; the key to separate adults and eggs are provided, together with a series of high-resolution photographs from all the body parts. COI barcodes do not allow for a separation of G. flavipes, G. haemorrhoidalis and G. inermis, but showed a closer relationship between G. flavipes and G. haemorrhoidalis than the other two combinations, which is consistent with the morphological evidence. Geographically, G. flavipes seems to be common and widespread in the warmer parts of the Palaearctic region. Thus, the epidemiology of gasterophilosis where G. flavipes is known or supposed to occur calls for a more careful veterinarian re-assessment. A decline in the populations of Gasterophilus spp. has been noticed in Europe, but all seven Palaearctic species of Gasterophilus appear to maintain stable populations in Xinjiang (China), which may be explained by a higher biodiversity of equids and less use of anti-parasitic treatments in Xinjiang than in Europe. Our study shows that morphological characters still provide the solid backbone in classification of Gasterophilus at species-level, and updated diagnoses and a key is provided to distinguish G. flavipes, G. haemorrhoidalis and G. inermis, and to facilitate studies of epidemiology, phylogeny and host-parasite co-evolution.
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Publication Date: 2019-08-12 PubMed ID: 31404100PubMed Central: PMC6690546DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0220820Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

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The paper discusses the rediscovery of a species of bot fly called Gasterophilus flavipes, a parasite in domestic and wild horses. Using a combination of physical characteristics and molecular evidence, the researchers prove that G. flavipes is a distinct species and also provide strategies for identification and further study in equine-related epidemiology, phylogeny, and co-evolution.

Morphological and Molecular Evidence

  • The researchers used morphological characters from male, female, and egg stages of the fly to establish the distinct identity of G. flavipes, which was previously considered a synonym of G. haemorrhoidalis.
  • They diagnosed and comparatively redescribed these species, offering keys to separate adults and eggs.
  • The paper provided high-resolution photographs of all body parts to aid identification.
  • COI barcodes, a molecular method of identification, were used to understand the relationships between species. While they did not separate the species fully, findings indicated a closer relationship between G. flavipes and G. haemorrhoidalis.

Geographical Distribution and Parasitic Impact

  • Geographically, G. flavipes was found to be common and widespread in the warmer areas of the Palaearctic region, a large biogeographical area covering Europe, Asia north of the Himalayas, northern Africa, and the northern and central parts of the Arabian Peninsula.
  • The presence of G. flavipes calls for a more careful veterinarian re-assessment of gasterophilosis, a disease caused by bot flies, where this fly is known or supposed to occur.

Population Trends and Implications

  • The populations of Gasterophilus species seem to be diminishing in Europe but are stable in Xinjiang, China, possibly due to a higher biodiversity of equids (horses, donkeys, and zebras) and less usage of anti-parasitic treatments in Xinjiang.

Classification and Future Studies

  • The study asserts the importance of morphological characters in identifying Gasterophilus species, providing updated diagnoses and keys to distinguish among G. flavipes, G. haemorrhoidalis, and G. inermis.
  • This classification will facilitate further studies in areas such as epidemiology, phylogeny, and host-parasite co-evolution.

Cite This Article

APA
Li XY, Pape T, Zhang D. (2019). Gasterophilus flavipes (Oestridae: Gasterophilinae): A horse stomach bot fly brought back from oblivion with morphological and molecular evidence. PLoS One, 14(8), e0220820. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0220820

Publication

PloS one
ISSN: 1932-6203
NlmUniqueID: 101285081
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 14
Issue: 8
Pages: e0220820
PII: e0220820

Researcher Affiliations

Li, Xin-Yu
  • Key Laboratory of Non-Invasive Research Technology for Endangered Species, School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China.
  • Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Pape, Thomas
  • Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Zhang, Dong
  • Key Laboratory of Non-Invasive Research Technology for Endangered Species, School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • China
  • DNA / genetics
  • Diptera / anatomy & histology
  • Diptera / classification
  • Diptera / genetics
  • Diptera / physiology
  • Female
  • Horse Diseases / psychology
  • Horses / parasitology
  • Male
  • Ovum
  • Phylogeny
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Stomach / parasitology

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors have no conflict of interest to declare and note that the funders of this research had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

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Citations

This article has been cited 3 times.
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