Hypoderma diana (Diptera, Oestridae) and Lipoptena cervi (Diptera, Hippoboscidae) as parasites of reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) in Scotland with notes on the second-stage larva of Hypoderma diana

Abstract

Some of the reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) introduced into Scotland from Northern Sweden have become infested with the deer warble fly Hypoderma diana and the deer ked Lipoptena cervi.Evidence is presented which suggests that the larvae of H. diana proceed to their final site on the back of the host by way of the neural canal, and in this way probably caused the deaths of two reindeer in the winter of 1953–4.A detailed analysis is presented of the frequency with which various bands of spines occurred on second-stage larvae of H. diana. An analysis of the number of chitinous rings in the two posterior spiracles on second-stage H. diana larvae showed that in any individual larva the two numbers were not independently determined.On reindeer L. cervi produced puparia in December.