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<p>Myiasis, the infestation of living vertebrate tissue by dipteran larvae, is commonly reported in humans and domestic animals but rarely documented in wild reptiles. Information on its occurrence in the endangered Komodo dragon (<i>Varanus komodoensis</i> Ouwens, 1912) is lacking, despite the species’ conservation importance. In April 2025, during routine population monitoring in Komodo National Park, an adult male Komodo dragon was captured with a shoulder wound infested by fly larvae. The animal was in good physical condition, and the wound was cleaned and treated before release. A subset of larvae was reared to the third instar for morphological identification. The larvae were exclusively identified as <i>Chrysomya rufifacies</i> (Macquart, 1842; Diptera: Calliphoridae), with their developmental stage indicating an approximate post-infestation interval of 2–3 days. Concurrent environmental sampling using baited traps yielded 48 adult flies trapped from the surrounding habitat, including 54% <i>Chrysomya rufifacies</i>, 35% <i>Chrysomya megacephala</i> (Fabricius, 1794; Diptera: Calliphoridae), and 10% <i>Sarcophaga</i> sp. (Diptera: Sarcophagidae). This suggests a diversity of potential, opportunistic myiasis agents within the dragon’s range. To our knowledge, this is the first documented case of traumatic myiasis in a wild Komodo dragon. This finding underscores the need for a multidisciplinary approach to the management of wild Komodo dragon populations, integrating veterinary medicine and conservation biology to mitigate potential health risks under the One Health framework.</p>

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First report of traumatic myiasis in the wild Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis Ouwens, 1912) from Indonesia

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年6月1日

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  • Aji Winarso,
  • Raden Wisnu Nurcahyo,
  • Dwi Priyowidodo,
  • Achmad Ariefiandy,
  • Deni Purwandana,
  • Mukti Aryo Wicaksono,
  • Yunias Jackson Benu,
  • Ivona Foitová

摘要

Myiasis, the infestation of living vertebrate tissue by dipteran larvae, is commonly reported in humans and domestic animals but rarely documented in wild reptiles. Information on its occurrence in the endangered Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis Ouwens, 1912) is lacking, despite the species’ conservation importance. In April 2025, during routine population monitoring in Komodo National Park, an adult male Komodo dragon was captured with a shoulder wound infested by fly larvae. The animal was in good physical condition, and the wound was cleaned and treated before release. A subset of larvae was reared to the third instar for morphological identification. The larvae were exclusively identified as Chrysomya rufifacies (Macquart, 1842; Diptera: Calliphoridae), with their developmental stage indicating an approximate post-infestation interval of 2–3 days. Concurrent environmental sampling using baited traps yielded 48 adult flies trapped from the surrounding habitat, including 54% Chrysomya rufifacies, 35% Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius, 1794; Diptera: Calliphoridae), and 10% Sarcophaga sp. (Diptera: Sarcophagidae). This suggests a diversity of potential, opportunistic myiasis agents within the dragon’s range. To our knowledge, this is the first documented case of traumatic myiasis in a wild Komodo dragon. This finding underscores the need for a multidisciplinary approach to the management of wild Komodo dragon populations, integrating veterinary medicine and conservation biology to mitigate potential health risks under the One Health framework.