Carnus (fly)

Carnus is a genus of flies (Diptera) with 5 described species, all of which are parasites of birds.^[3] The adult flies locate a suitable host nest, then shed their wings and feed on the blood of the developing nestlings.^[4] Mature female flies lay their eggs in the nest, where their larvae develop on organic detritus.^[4]

Carnus
Carnus hemapterus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Diptera
Superfamily:	Carnoidea
Family:	Carnidae
Genus:	Carnus Nitzsch, 1818[1]
Type species
Carnus hemapterus Nitzsch, 1818[1]
Synonyms
Cenchridobia Schiner, 1862[2]

Species

• C. floridensis Grimaldi, 1997^[5][3]
• C. hemapterus Nitzsch, 1818^[1][3][6]
• C. mexicana Grimaldi, 1997^[5][3]
• C. occidentalis Grimaldi, 1997^[5][3]
• C. orientalis Maa, 1968^[7][3]

In 2014, C. orientalis was reported for the first time in Japan, parasitizing nestlings of the Ryūkyū scops owl, Otus elegans, a new host species record.^[8]