Rat-tailed maggot

Rat-tailed maggot

Rat-tailed maggots are the larvae of some species of hoverfly, commonly "Eristalis tenax".



A characteristic feature of rat-tailed maggots is a tube-like, three segmented, telescoping breathing siphon located at their posterior end. This acts like a snorkel, allowing the larva to breathe air while submerged. The siphon is usually about as long again as the maggot's body (20 mm when mature), but can be extended as long as 150 mm. It is this organ that gives the larva its common name. It lives in stagnant, oxygen-deprived water, with a high organic content. It is fairly tolerant of pollution and can live in sewage lagoons and cesspools.

Infection

There have occasionally been documented cases of human intestinal Myiasis of the Rat-tailed maggot (larvae of Eristalis tenax). Symptoms can be none (asymptomatic) to, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, or anal pruritus. Infection can be caused by ingestion of contaminated food or water but doubts have been expressed that accidentally ingested fly larvae could survive in the gastrointestinal tract. Zumpt proposed an alternative called "rectal myiasis". Flies, attracted to feces, may deposit their eggs or larvae near or into the anus, and the larvae then penetrate further into the rectum. They can survive feeding on feces at this site, as long as the breathing tube reaches towards the anus.cite web | last =A. Aguilera, A. Cid, B. J. Regueiro, J. M. Prieto, and M. Noya | title =Intestinal Myiasis Caused by Eristalis tenax | work = | publisher =Copyright © 1999 American Society for Microbiology {at www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov} | date =1999 | url =http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=85471 | format =web | doi = | accessdate = 2008-01-13 ] cite web | last =Whish-Wilson | first =Phillip B | title =A possible case of intestinal myiasis due to Eristalis tenax | work = | publisher =The Medical Journal of Australia | date =2000 | url =http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/173_11_041200/whishwilson/whishwilson.html | format =web | doi = | accessdate = 2008-01-13 ]

Commercial use

These larvae, commonly called "mousies" are cultured and sold as fish bait. They are especially popular in ice fishing. [ [http://www.briancoad.com/Dictionary/M.htm Dictionary of Ichthyology; Brian W. Coad and Don E. McAllister] at ww.briancoad.com]

References


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • rat-tailed maggot — often the mousie (q.v.) used in ice fishing, the rat tailed maggot of the hoverfly, cultured as bait. The rat tail is a telescopic siphon used as a snorkel for breathing while submerged …   Dictionary of ichthyology

  • rat-tailed maggot — noun see rat tailed larva …   Useful english dictionary

  • rat-tailed maggot — /rat tayld / the aquatic larva of any of several syrphid flies of the genus Eristalis, that breathes through a long, thin tube at the posterior end of its body. * * * …   Universalium

  • rat-tail maggot — rat tailed maggot a maggot of one of the hover flies (genera Eristalis and Helophilus); they cause intestinal and nasal myiasis …   Medical dictionary

  • rat-tailed larva — noun or rat tailed maggot : the larva of a syrphid fly of Eristalis or related genera that is remarkable for the long telescopic tubular tail with spiracles at the tip through which air is brought down from above the mud or putrefying matter in… …   Useful english dictionary

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  • Eristalis pertinax — Taxobox | name = Eristalis pertinax image width = 240px regnum = Animalia phylum = Arthropoda subphylum = Hexapoda classis = Insecta subclassis = Pterygota infraclassis = Neoptera superordo = Endopterygota| ordo = Diptera subordo = Brachycera… …   Wikipedia

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