Abstract
Sepedon ruficeps is a widespread species among Sciomyzidae in the Afrotropical Region. Its general distribution, and more specifically that in Benin, is mapped. The complete life-cycle, from egg to adult, and descriptions of all immature stages are presented. Larval predation of freshwater molluscs is analyzed, with the main objective of discovering biological control agents for snail intermediate hosts of trematodes, principally Schistosoma and Fasciola species which affect man and domestic animals. The results reported here relate to Radix natalensis, snail host of Fasciola gigantea. In the absence of sufficient mollusc-prey, however, the fly larvae show alternative predation at the expense of the freshwater snail Aulophorus furcatus. This particularity could allow intensive laboratory rearing, before release of all stages of the fly in the field for biocontrol of distomiasis. S. ruficeps is undoubtedly polyphagous and multivoltine.
Highlights
This publication is especially dedicated to the memory of the late Brian Roy Stuckenberg
During a recent review of the Afrotropical fauna on the basis of material located in Belgian museums, we examined these specimens studied by Verbeke – adults and microscopic preparations of genitalia – and share his conclusions
The dominant characters are the presence of swimming tufts on dorsal abdominal segments, the peripheral lobes and interspiracular processes which are well developed on the posterior disc, and the very long setae of the sensilla, including long setae of the Keilin organs
Summary
This publication is especially dedicated to the memory of the late Brian Roy Stuckenberg. One of the authors (J-CV) met him at the 5th International Congress of Dipterology in Australia in 2002. There, we appreciated his papers on “an overview of Afrotropical Diptera, “the phylogenetic implications of labial morphology,” and his dynamic and enjoyable presentation, which was a real success, on the “Gondwana breakup”. The personal and cordial discussions that we had were certainly fruitful and reflective of a very cooperative colleague with a particular ability to listen to others. He subsequently sent us documents for our research on Afrotropical Diptera and the Sciomyzidae. His generous nature was underlined by Verbeke in his descriptions of Sepedon (Parasepedon) stuckenbergi in 1961 and Salticella stuckenbergi in 1962, from specimens of Diptera sent to him by Brian Stuckenberg for study
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