Human and livestock migrations: a history of bot fly biodiversity in the Mediterranean region

The bot fly (oestrid) is responsible for myiasis in
domestic animals. The presence in some regions
of southern Europe of an unusually large number of
different species of bot fly suggests a high degree of
oestrid biodiversity in this area. The many factors that
can influence parasitic species composition (e.g. host
and parasite genetics, relationships with their hosts and
environment, and animal management) include the
movement of domestic animals in association with
migrating human populations in southern Europe over
thousands of years. From its geographical position,
which was strategically important in controlling commercial
trade routes in early Western civilization, the
Mediterranean sea has for more than 3000 years
constituted the hub of many different cultures, populations,
genes and agricultural practices. The movement
of animals and their associated parasites in this region
can help to explain the evolution of parasitic
biodiversity.