title: Prestomal teeth of some flies of medical importance.
abstract: Comparison of prestomal teeth of adult Chrysomya megacephala, Chrysomya rufifacies, Chrysomya nigripes, Lucilia cuprina, Parasarcophaga dux and Musca domestica was accomplished by use of scanning electron microscopy. The prestomal teeth of C. megacephala, C. rufifacies, L. cuprina and P. dux are all similar in appearance in having various degrees of bifurcation at their tips. In contrast, the tips of the prestomal teeth in C. nigripes are very shallowly serrated, but are comparatively more deeply serrated in M. domestica. These features may help account for the roles these flies may play in matters of medical or veterinary importance, such as causing physical irritation or acting as vectors of disease agents.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand. ksukonta@mail.med.cmu.ac.th
authors.forename: Kom
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sukontason
authors.forename: Kabkaew L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Sukontason
authors.forename: Roy C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Vogtsberger
authors.forename: Noppawan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Boonchu
authors.forename: Tarinee
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chaiwong
authors.forename: Somsak
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Piangjai
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004175:Diptera / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D008297:Male; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D014070:Tooth / Q000033:anatomy & histology