Gasterophilidae (Noun)
Meaning
Horse botflies.
Classification
Nouns denoting animals.
Examples
- Gasterophilidae, commonly known as horse botflies, are parasitic flies that infest horses, donkeys, and other equines by laying their eggs on the host's coat.
- The adult Gasterophilidae do not feed on anything, as their sole purpose is to mate and reproduce, while the larvae cause discomfort to the host.
- Female Gasterophilidae attach their eggs to the host's hairs on the legs, shoulders, or belly, where they can be easily stimulated by the horse's saliva to hatch.
- The eggs of Gasterophilidae are usually yellow or brown and are firmly attached to the host's hairs by a specialized cement that makes them difficult to dislodge.
- Gasterophilidae larvae migrate to the host's digestive tract after they have hatched, where they can spend several months before maturing and leaving to pupate and eventually become adult flies.