Ultrastructure of Mouth Parts and Adhesive Device of Hippobosca equine and Their Implication as Carriers of Pathogens

Arafa, M. I.

Assiut Lab, Dept. of Parasitology, Animal Health Research Institute (AHRI), ARC, Egypt

Dr. Arafa, M. I., Assiut Lab, Dept. of Parasitology, Animal Health Research Institute (AHRI), ARC, Egypt.

Keywords: Hippobosca equine; Ultrastructure of Mouth Parts; Adhesive Device; Scanning Electron Microscopy

Abstract

Hippobosca equina (H. equina), infest different animal species and may bite human causes many diseases transmitted among these hosts. So, the present work scanned the ultrastructure of mouthparts and adhesive device of H. equina using scanning electron microscopy. Mouth parts of adult H. equine form a tubular sucking organ sheathed within a dorsal groove of the labium which armed at the tip with short labella that serves as piercing structures of proboscis. The tip of the proboscis equipped with backward- directed teeth, around the entrance to the food-canal. At adhesive device, the pulvilli characterized by presence of numerous tenent setae observed on their ventral side which have spoon-like tip. The empodium appears as a wipe -like process has sharply pointed spins on both lateral sides. Our results provided anatomical information of mouth parts and adhesive device of H. equine that clarify their role as a mechanical carrier of microorganisms through injury or intact skin. These results strongly suggest that H. equine are not simple mechanical vector.

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