Gasterophilus pecorum
species of insect
Gasterophilus pecorum is a species of botfly within the genus Gasterophilus that is an obligate parasite of horses and other equids.
Gasterophilus pecorum is found in the desert steppe of Xinjiang, China, where it is the most prevalent botfly species. In Kalamaili Nature Reserve (KNR), China, G. pecorum is a major problem for the health of Przewalski's horse, which has been reintroduced in the area. Gasterophilus pecorum has also been observed infecting equids, such as the Persian Onager (Equus hemionus onager). Of the six identified species of Gasterophilus found within the KNR, G. pecorum is responsible for a majority of all botfly infections.
Taxonomy
Larvae
G. pecorum larvae have several larval instars, these larvae move throughout their host's digestive tract while going through these life stages. Similar to other members of the genus Gasterophilus, in their last larval stage G. pecorum have a set of hooked mouth parts, which is used to help attach themselves to their host's gastrointestinal tract. After completing this life stage, the larvae are released via the host's excrement, and it then becomes a pupa then eventually into an adult.
Adults
Adult G. pecorum similar to other members of Gasterophilus can resemble honey bees, as they have dark patches of brown and yellow hairs.
Life cycle
G. pecorum has four main life stages: egg, larvae, pupae, and adult.
“Gasterophilus pecorum” enters the record as species of insect. Crown Archives preserves that source wording while asking what Gasterophilus, pecorum and species can confirm, complicate or overturn.
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The date and method of observation matter as much as the stated conclusion, especially where classification or consensus has changed. The source revision retrieved here is dated Aug 30, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q14117026. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference.
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This entry incorporates text from “Gasterophilus pecorum” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.