Zunahme der Fliegenmadenkrankheit (Myiasis) bei Anuren in Nordrhein-Westfalen?

Increase of fly maggot disease (myiasis) in anurans in North Rhine-Westphalia? Since 2017, there have been 137 new myiasis records in amphibians in NRW. These are presented in a new distribution map. Myiasis was detected in 162 of 1260 grid squares (12.9 %), a significant increase compared to the data collected until 2017 (8.7 % at that time). The previously known distribution foci in the urban centres in the Ruhr area and the Rhine region are largely confirmed by the new findings, but there is also a significant expansion of findings in the peripheral areas of NRW. The significant increase of records of fly maggot disease since about 15 years is partly a consequence of the increased attention of the phenomenon among herpetologists. Phenology and host species spectrum largely correspond to previous findings, the common toad being the most common host with almost 90 %. Infestation rates derived from record data are 0.7 % (0.0–6.3 %) and are significantly lower than estimates from detailed population studies.