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Cestodes

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Fill in the missing words about cestodes A cestode (tapeworm) is a chain (strobila) of progressively maturing reproductive units called proglottids anchored at one end to the intestinal wall by a hold-fast organ called the scolex. Link to Answer Article
What are halteres?
  • Reduced pair of wings
  • Used for balance
  • Possessed by diperan flies
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What are spiracles?
  • Chitinous openings
  • On the side of the body
  • Under muscular control so can open and close at will
  • Mounted on stimatic plates
  • Leads to trachea
  • Can be used for species identification
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What is the name of the general insect body system?
  • Haemocoele
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What are oviparous insects?
  • Lay eggs outside of the body which hatch after deposition
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What are viviparous insects?
  • Lay larvae or nymphs
  • Eggs rupture in female reproductive system
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Summarise simple metamorphosis and give an example of a species of insect which uses it
  • Nymph emerges from egg
  • Nymph grows and moults
  • Nymph becomes an adult
  • Lice
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Summarise complex metamorphosis and give an example of a species of insect which uses it
  • Larva emerges from egg
  • Larva grows and moults
  • Larva pupates
  • Adult emerges from pupa
  • Flies
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Fleas

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What is the most common species of flea which infects cats and dogs?
  • Ctenocephalides felis
  • Cat flea
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Which flea only has pronotal combs?
  • Ceratophyllus gallinae
  • Poultry flea
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What are the key features of Pulex irritans?
  • No combs
  • Head rounded anteriorly
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How is the life cycle of Spilopsyllus cuniculi scynchronised with their main hosts the rabbit?
  • Shortly before the doe gives birth the adult fleas attach to the ears of the rabbit and feed producing a lot of faeces
  • After parturition the adult fleas move onto the kittens where they feed, mate and lay eggs
  • The new adult fleas emerge from the pupa before the kittens leave the nest
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How long do adult fleas live?
  • 7-10 days
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What do flea eggs look like?
  • Ivory-white
  • Oval shaped
  • 0.5mm long
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Which life cycle stage is negatively phototropic and what does this mean?
  • Larvae
  • Crawl away from light sources
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What is the name of the flea juvenile hormone?
  • Methoprene
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Lice

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What are the characteristics of chewing lice?
  • Broad head
  • Rasping mouthparts
  • Thorax narrower than head
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True or False: Chewing lice are found on both mammals and birds?
  • True
  • Occurs on both mammals and birds
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What are the characteristics of sucking lice?
  • Narrow head
  • Piercing mouthparts
  • Thorax wider than head
  • Powerful legs
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True or False: Sucking lice are found on both mammals and birds?
  • False
  • Occurs on mammals only
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How long does the louse life cycle take?
  • 2-3 weeks
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What is the name of the generalised condition lice cause?
  • Pediculosis
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Which species is affected by only sucking lice?
  • Pigs
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Are birds affected by sucking or chewing lice?
  • Chewing
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True or False: Mallophaga are more susceptible to systemic insecticides than Alloplura?
  • False
  • Anopleura lice are more susceptible to systemic insecticide treatment
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Nuisance Flies

Question Answer Article
What are the two Muscidae species of veterinary importance?
  • Hydrotaea irritans
    • Head fly
  • Musca spp.
    • Face and house flies
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What is the main difference between biting and nuisance flies?
  • Nuisance flies have sponge-like labellum mouthparts
  • Biting flies have pointed mouthparts for sucking blood
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How do Musca spp. cause production losses?
  • Fly worry
  • Reduced weight gain
  • Reduced milk yield
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Give some examples of disease Musca' spp. transmit
  • Viruses
    • E.g. Enteroviridae
  • Bacteria
    • E.g. Anthrax
  • Helminths
    • E.g. Habronema
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True or False: H. irritans larvae undergo diapause?
  • True
  • Larvae undergo diapause and pupate in spring
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What problems can H. irritans cause in livestock?
  • Summer mastitis in cattle
  • Broken Head in sheep
  • Can increase the incidence of secondary blowfly stirke
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Biting Flies

Question Answer Article
Is Stomoxys calcitrans a visiting or resident biting fly?
  • Visiting
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What are the main recognisable features of Stomoxys calcitrans?
  • Forward pointing proboscis
  • Grey colouring
  • Grey stripes on thorax and black spots on abdomen
  • Clear wings
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How do Stomoxys calcitrans cause production losses?
  • Decrease milk production
  • Decrease weight gain
  • Cause fly worry
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Which retrovirus is Stomoxys calcitrans a vector for?
  • Equine infectious anaemia
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What is Haematoba irritans more commonly known as?
  • The horn fly
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Why is Haematoba irritans easier to control than visiting biting flies?
  • Is a resident fly
  • Spends more time in contact with the host
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What are the three most important species of Tabanidae?
  • Tabanus
  • Chrysops
  • Haematopota
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How could you identify Tabanidae species solely on looking at their wing venation?
  • Closed discal cell wing venation
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Why do Simuliidae species have a hump-backed appearance?
  • Arched thorax produced a hump-backed appearance
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Why is the life cycle of Simuliidae species?
  • Eggs laid on plants or stones under flowing water
  • Larvae attach to submerged rocks and pupate
  • Conical shaped cocoon
  • Adults emerge en masse
  • Life cycle takes one month to complete
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What are Glossinidae species more commonly known as and which trypanosomal disease do they transmit to humans?
  • Tsetse flies
  • Sleeping sickness
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Why are Ceratopogonidae species a problem to livestock
  • Causes sweet-itch in horses
  • Are vectors for blue tongue
  • Vectors for parasites such as Onchocerca in cattle
  • Cause skin infections in livestock
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What are Culicidae species better known as?
  • Mosquitos
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True or False: Both male and female Culicidae suck blood?
  • False
  • Only female mosquitos suck blood
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What are Psychodidae the main vectors for?
  • Leishmaniasis
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What are Hippobosca more commonly known as?
  • Forest flies
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What are Melophagus more commonly known as?
  • Sheep ked
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What are the main recognisable features of Melophagus species?
  • Hairy
  • Reddish-brown colouring
  • Forward pointing proboscis
  • Narrown head
  • Dorso-ventrally flattened
  • Wingless
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Are Melophagus species resident or visiting flies?
  • Resident
  • Spend the entire life cycle on the host
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Myiasis Producing Flies

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What is myiasis?
  • The parasitism of living animals by dipteran larvae
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Are Oestridae species obligatory or facultative parasites?
  • Obligatory
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What are Hypoderma species more commonly known as and what do they look like?
  • Warble flies
  • Look like bumble bees
    • Yellow abdomen
    • Band of black hairs
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Where in the body are the winter resting sites of Hypoderma species?
  • Epidural fat in the spinal canal for H. bovis
  • Wall of the oesophagus for H. lineatum
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How many generations of warble flies are there per year?
  • One
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Why are warble flies a problem?
  • Cause production losses
  • Cause myositis
  • Causes paraplegia
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What are Oestrus ovis species also known as?
  • Sheep nasal bot flies
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How are the Oestrus ovis larvae distinguished?
  • Distinct black bands on each body segment
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If Oestrus ovis larvae are deposited in late summer, where in the sheep can they overwinter?
  • In the nasal cavity
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True or False: Oestrus ovis larvae cause true gid in sheep?
  • False
  • Larvae cause false gid
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What are the three main species of Gasterophilus in the UK, also known as the horse bot fly?
  • G. intestinalis
  • G. nasalis
  • G. haemorrhoidalis
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Where does Gasterophilus species lay their eggs on the horse?
  • G. intestinalis lays its eggs in the hair around the shoulders and fore legs
  • G. nasalis lays its eggs in the intermandibular area
  • G. haemorrhoidalis lays its eggs around the lips
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What are the Gasterophilus larvae called once they have attached to the gastric mucosa?
  • Bots
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Where do Dermatobia hominis lay their eggs?
  • On blood sucking flies
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How long is the life cycle of Dermatobia hominis?
  • 4 months
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Are Calliphoridae species obligatory or facultative parsites?
  • Facultative
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What is the name of the condition caused by Calliphoridae?
  • Blowfly strike
  • If the fly lays eggs on an animal, the animal is said to be blown
  • The damage the larvae causes to the animal is known as strike
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Where are blowfly eggs laid on an animal?
  • On soiled fleece
  • On carrion
  • In wounds
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How many generations of blowflies develop per year?
  • Up to 4 per year in temperate climates
  • Up to 10 per year in warmer climates
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What factors influence the prevalence of blowfly strike?
  • Temperature
  • Rainfall
  • Host suceptibility
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What are the recognisable features of Wohlfahrtia species?
  • Pale grey colouring
  • Black striped on thorax and black spots on abdomen
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