Species Medical Importance 

RCES has been successfully identified three species of Arthropoda of medical importance in Abu Aresh and Wadi Bin Heshbel in Khames Mysait.  These species are:

Cordylobia anthropophaga Blanchard & Berenger-Feraud 1872 (Diptera: Calliphoridae), the Tumbu fly which causes the boil spot. Locality; Abu Aresh

Euproctis fasciata (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Lymantridae) local residents and a herdsman complained of distress due to the urticating hairs of the larvae. Locality: Abu Aresh

The mite Pyemotes sp.?? Newport which causes skin inflammation. Locality: Wadi Bin Hesbel, Khaymais Mysait.   

The identification of the first and second species has been confirmed by the National Museum of Wales but for the mite P. ventricosus??  confirmation is awaited.

The Centre is planning to produce a guide book for the identification of Diptera in Saudi Arabia.  This book will include a photographs of all the species  of Diptera that have been recorded from Saudi Arabia with some taxonomic remarks, species distribution world-wide, and some biological notes. This book will be a unique of its kind in the Middle East. It will be useful for all researchers in the field of entomology in the Arab world and world-wide. A plan was put for this project which is achievable in collaboration with the National Museum of Wales-Cardiff which agreed to take part in this project. This project has been submitted with a study on biodiversity of Diptera of south-western Saudi Arabia for financial support from King Abdul Aziz City for Science and Technology.