Megaselia scalaris (Diptera: Phoridae) development and behaviour under fluoxetine effect and Calliphora vicina (Diptera: Calliphoridae) presence

Abstract

Megaselia scalaris Loew (Diptera: Phoridae) and Calliphora vicina Robineau-Desvoidy (Diptera: Calliphoridae) are species of medical and forensic interest. Scuttle flies can eat carrion but also behave as a facultative parasitoid of other organisms. This study evaluated the effect of fluoxetine on the development of M. scalaris, and also the feeding behavior of the scuttle flies. For this, these flies were reared on artificial fodder with 2000 mg/kg of fluoxetine and also larvae of blue bottle flies on third stage were added. A control was used for each analysis. Daily observations were performed from the beginning to the end of the experiments. The duration of life cycle, body length, grosso modo external morphology and sex ratio were evaluated. Results indicated that development of M. scalaris was not affected by fluoxetine. The duration of stages, body length and external morphology did not show differences between fluoxetine and control groups. In addition, scuttle flies did not behave as parasites of blue bottle flies in their larval advanced stage and their presence did not interference on the development of M. scalaris. In conclusion, no alteration was observed on the development of M. scalaris at the dose of fluoxetine used and scuttle flies presence did not necessarily imply predation or parasitism of C. vicina larvae. Therefore, the current study provides data that could be applied in forensic entomological research or in forensic expertise.