Morphological and molecular analyses of flies and blood sucking lice of vet

Abstract

Malta consists of three larger and several smaller islands that are situated in the middle of the Mediterranean region, south of Italy- between Africa and Europe (Alexander, 1988). This geographical position makes these islands very important from the veterinary-medical point of view, both economically (Bland, 1994) and ecologically. Considering the latter, Malta is an important stop-over site for migratory birds, flying in the autumn from Europe to their wintering grounds in Africa, then returning from Africa to Europe in the spring. Thus, during migratory activity as a natural phenomenon birds transport epidemiologically important tick species via Malta intercontinentally (Hornok et al., 2022). However, Africa and Europe are also connected through these islands as a consequence of human activity, for instance during trading and transportation of livestock and pet animals.