Towards the automated identification of Chrysomya blow flies from wing images

Area of Science:

• Entomology
• Veterinary Parasitology
• Forensic Science

Background:

• The Old World screwworm fly (OWSF), Chrysomya bezziana, causes traumatic myiasis, posing significant risks to human and animal health.
• Identifying the geographical origin of OWSF is vital for effective control strategies, distinguishing between endemic and invading populations.
• Previous studies identified African and Asian lineages of C. bezziana, with wing morphometry showing potential for geographical origin determination.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate an image-based geometric morphometric approach for identifying the geographical origin of OWSF.
• To assess the efficiency and accuracy of this new method compared to traditional landmark-based analyses.
• To demonstrate the broader applicability of digital wing image analysis for Chrysomya species identification and sex determination.

Main Methods:

• Utilized an image-based geometric morphometric analysis of fly wings.
• Compared results with traditional landmark-based morphometric analyses.
• Applied digital image analysis to discriminate between three Chrysomya species and between genders of C. bezziana.

Main Results:

• The image-based approach yielded identifications practically indistinguishable from traditional landmark-based methods.
• This novel technique provides accurate wing-based identifications for OWSF.
• The method successfully discriminated between three Chrysomya species and between male and female C. bezziana.

Conclusions:

• Image-based geometric morphometrics offers a reliable and efficient alternative for determining the geographical origin of OWSF.
• This technique enhances diagnostic capabilities for OWSF control and management.
• Digital wing image analysis has significant potential in veterinary and forensic entomology for species and sex identification.