First list of parasitoids in flies of medical, veterinary, and forensic importance in Rio Grande do Sul - Brazil.

M C Cárcamo,L Guidotti,V Costa,J P Duarte,J Egewarth,T F Abreu

doi:10.1590/1519-6984.238772

Abstract

Necrophagous flies are of great importance for human and animal health. In places where their development occurs, parasitoids can be used as a tool to control these dipterans. In Brazil, the fauna of these parasitoids has been investigated in some regions. However, in Rio Grande do Sul, it is known the occurrence of only one species. Thus, this study aimed to create the first list of parasitoids in flies of medical and veterinary importance in Southern Brazil. Collections took place in the municipality of Pelotas (31º 42' S; 52º 18' W). Three replicates consisting of a 500 g bovine liver chunk placed in a tray were exposed to open air for 20 days. Then pupae were individualized and observed until their emergence. We identified 4,882 adult flies of Calliphoridae, Fanniidae, Muscidae, and Sarcophagidae. 4,040 parasitoids emerged, belonging to eight species, of which Nasonia vitripennis, Spalangia cameroni, Spalangia chontalensis, and Tachinephagus zealandicus are new records in Rio Grande do Sul state. Also, three undescribed species of the genus Aphaereta were collected. In spite of being the first attempt to inventory the fauna of hymenopteran parasitoids, this study may help in the development of management programs of these dipterans in the region.

Highlights

Necrophagous dipterans are important for acting as a mechanical vector of bacteria, protozoa, helminths, and viruses to human and domestic animals (Marcondes and Thyssen, 2017), as well as for some species being able to cause myiasis (Guimarães and Papavero, 1999)
The dipterans reported in this study are commonly found in Southern Brazil, in livestock farming areas (Vianna et al, 1998; Bicho et al, 2004; Azevedo and Krüger, 2013) as well as in decomposing carcasses (Souza et al, 2008; Anjos et al, 2010)
Only S. endius was recorded in Rio Grande do Sul (Brandão et al, 2011)

Summary

Introduction

Necrophagous dipterans are important for acting as a mechanical vector of bacteria, protozoa, helminths, and viruses to human and domestic animals (Marcondes and Thyssen, 2017), as well as for some species being able to cause myiasis (Guimarães and Papavero, 1999) They are the first insects to reach the carcass, appearing in the first few hours after the death. That can be caused by a toxin injected by the female wasp during oviposition, by poisoning through salivary secretion or by feeding (Quicke, 1997; Asgari and Rivers, 2011) These hymenopterans use larvae, prepupae, or pupae of flies to develop, and because of this; they are found next to the sites that the flies occur (Rivers, 2016)

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