Lucilia cuprina

Definition

A species of blow fly (family Calliphoridae) widely distributed in the Old World and introduced to Australia, where it is known as the Australian sheep blowfly. Females are attracted to oviposition sites involving moist wool soiled with urine or feces, or open wounds on livestock; the resulting larval infestation causes cutaneous myiasis (fly strike), a significant veterinary and economic problem in sheep production. Also used in forensic entomology for estimating minimum postmortem intervals due to predictable developmental rates on carrion.

Etymology

From Latin Lucilia (a classical Roman female name, applied as a genus epithet in dipteran taxonomy) + cuprina (feminine of cuprinus, "of copper" or "coppery," likely referring to the metallic green-copper sheen of the adult fly's cuticle).

Example

In Australian pastoral regions, Lucilia cuprina is the primary agent of breech strike, where larvae tunnel through wool-rotten skin of the crutch area; control relies on mulesing, insecticidal dips, and genetic selection for less susceptible sheep lines.

Synonyms

• Phaenicia cuprina
• Australian sheep blowfly

Related Terms

• Calliphoridae
• myiasis
• Lucilia sericata
• blow fly
• Forensic entomology
• sheep strike
• cutaneous myiasis

Usage Notes

Formerly placed in genus Phaenicia, now universally treated as Lucilia. Distinguished from the sympatric Lucilia sericata by subtle morphological characters (thoracic stripe pattern, genitalia) and ecological preferences; the two species hybridize where ranges overlap. In veterinary contexts, often abbreviated to "L. cuprina" in epidemiological literature. Not to be confused with Chrysomya species, which cause wound myiasis in different geographic regions.