Old World Screwworm vs Australian Stiletto Fly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Old World Screwworm Australian Stiletto Fly
Scientific Name Chrysomya bezziana Anabarhynchus bilineatus
Order Diptera Diptera
Family Calliphoridae Therevidae
Size 8-11 mm 8-14 mm
Habitat Forests Heathland
Diet Parasites Herbivores
Regions Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia Australia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Old World Screwworm

An obligate wound parasite of mammals found across Africa and Asia. Larvae invade wounds and feed on living tissue causing severe myiasis.

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Did You Know?

Unlike the New World screwworm, no sterile insect program has yet successfully eradicated this species.

Australian Stiletto Fly

A slender gray stiletto fly with two pale longitudinal stripes on the thorax and a distinctly tapered abdomen. It is commonly found resting on foliage or on the ground in bushland.

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Did You Know?

Australia has an exceptionally high diversity of stiletto flies, with over 500 described species in the family.