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Coenosia

Coenosia is a very large genus (more than 350 species) of true flies of the family Muscidae. Coenosia are known as tiger flies since they are predators and hunt many kinds of insects and other invertebrates.

In Denmark, fungi Strongwellsea tigrinae and Strongwellsea acerosa (from the Strongwellsea genus, order Entomophthorales) infect the flying hosts from the genus Coenosia, including species Coenosia tigrina and Coenosia testacea. While most fungi spore once the host is dead, with Strongwellsea, the host continues to live for days, carrying out normal activities and socialising with other flies while the fungus consumes its genitals, fat reserves, reproductive organs and finally its muscle, all the while shooting out thousands of spores on to other individuals.

Species

References