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screwworm |
Also found in: Dictionary/thesaurus, Medical, Wikipedia, Hutchinson | 0.07 sec. |
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screwworm: see blowfly blowfly, name for flies of the family Calliphoridae. Blowflies are about the same size as, and resemble, the housefly; because they are usually metallic blue or green they are also called bluebottle or greenbottle flies. ..... Click the link for more information. . screwwormAny of several North and South American blowfly species named for the screwlike appearance of the larva's body, which is ringed with small spines. Screwworms attack livestock and other animals, including humans. The true screwworm (Cochliomyia hominivorax) and the secondary screwworm (Callitroga macellaria) develop in decaying flesh; they may also attack healthy tissue. Each female deposits 200–400 eggs near an open wound. The larvae burrow into the tissue and, when mature, drop to the ground to pupate. Severe infestations (myiasis) may kill the affected animal. How to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit webmaster's page for free fun content. |
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Similar technology eradicated the screwworm in the 1950s and 1960s. Travelers who have visited tropical areas may exhibit aggressive forms of obligatory myiases, in which the larvae (maggots) invasively feed on living tissue, The risk of a traveler's acquiring a screwworm infestation has been considered negligible, but with the increasing popularity of adventure sports and wildlife travel, this risk may need to be reassessed. The sole exception was a campaign against the screwworm, a cattle pest in the southern United States, in which the release of millions of sterile adult male screwworm flies caused massive breeding failure among the pest. |
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