A Study of Cow Dung Diptera in Sentul Timur, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Abstract

Abstract

A survey of cow dung dipteran diversity was conducted at a cattle farm in Sentul Timur, KualaLumpur, Malaysia. Five surveys were made to a cattle farm during November-December2009. We examined 50 cow dung samples for fly larvae and other dung associated arthropods.Adult flies were collected around the dung using a sweeping net or plastic bag while the larvae werecollected using forceps. Some of the collected larvae were preserved in 70% alcohol and the restwere raised to adult stages for identification. We collected 321 dipterans from 16 families: Sepsidae,Muscidae, Calliphoridae, Sarcophagidae, Psychodidae, Ephydridae, Sphaeroceridae, Dolichopodidae,Lauxaniidae, Stratiomyiidae, Chloropidae, Neriidae, Tabanidae, Tephritidae, Chironomidae andAphididae. Other than Diptera, we also collected ants (Formicidae), the nymph of a praying mantis(Acromantinae), a leaf hopper (Cicadellidae), adult coleopterans (Scarabidae, Hydrophilidae), a carabidlarva, a centipede (Chilopoda), an earth worm (Lumbricus terrestris), a Symphyla (Myriapoda), anearwig (Dermaptera: Forticulidae), a firebrat (Thysanura), a spider and a tiny frog. The Sepsidae werethe most abundant diptera, followed by Muscidae, such as Musca inferior and Stomoxys calcitrans.Most muscid flies are bloodsuckers while the sepsid and other families are scavengers on the cowdung. We also raised the larvae found in the dung to adult stages and subsequently identified themas Allosepsis indica (Sepsidae) and Psychoda sp (Psychodidae). Blood sucking flies play a vital role inzoonosis transmission. It is important to investigate disease vectors associated with cow dung forimplementation of future control measures in Malaysia.

Keywords: cow dung Diptera, biodiversity, Muscidae, abundance, Malaysia