Scavengers flesh flies (Diptera, Sarcophagidae) from two phytophysiognomies in the state of Maranhão, Northeastern of Brazil

Raimundo Francisco Oliveira Nascimento,José Orlando de Almeida Silva,Fernando da Silva Carvalho-Filho

doi:10.1590/1676-0611-bn-2021-1192

Raimundo Francisco Oliveira Nascimento, José Orlando de Almeida Silva + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.1590/1676-0611-bn-2021-1192

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Abstract

Abstract: Flesh flies (Sarcophagidae) have been found in a wide range of natural and anthropogenic environments, from forests to deserts. The state of Maranhão, located in Northeastern Brazil, has a diverse phytogeography, but few faunistic studies have been conducted in this area. Therefore, the objective of this study was to inventory species of Sarcophagidae and compare abundance patterns between the Cerrado (savanna-like vegetation) and riparian forests in the municipality of Codó, state of Maranhão. Twelve sampling events were carried out from the second half of 2015 to the first half of 2017. This resulted in 3,220 specimens, 27.15% of which were males, from nine genera and 27 species. A total of 491 specimens (16 species) were collected in the Cerrado, and 383 specimens (21 species) in the riparian forest. Peckia (Sarcodexia) lambens (Wiedemann) was the most abundant species (56,18% of the specimens sampled), followed by Peckia (Peckia) pexata (Wulp) (13%); Peckia (Euboettcheria) collusor (Curran & Walley) (13%), and Peckia (Peckia) chrysostoma Wiedemann (10%). Only P. (E.) collusor was found in greater abundance in the Cerrado. Oxysarcodexia angrensis (Lopes), Peckia (Peckia) enderleini (Engel), and Retrocitomiya andina Lopes are all new records to Maranhão and the entire Northeast Region of Brazil. Titanogrypa (Cuculomyia) albuquerquei (Lopes) is also a new to Maranhão.

Highlights

Sarcophagidae, or flesh flies, is one of the most diverse families of Calyptratae flies, with over 3,100 species divided into three subfamilies: Miltogramminae, Paramacronychiinae, and Sarcophaginae (Pape et al 2011, Piwczynski et al 2017)
The males sampled belong to nine genera and 27 species, three of which (Oxysarcodexia angrensis (Lopes, 1933), Peckia (Peckia) enderleini (Engel, 1931), and Retrocitomyia andina (Lopes, 1985))
Peckia (P.) enderleini has been found primarily in the southern South America (Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia, and Brazil) (Buenaventura & Pape 2013, Toma et al 2020). This is the most northern-located record for this species in the continent. This species was one of the most abundant among the scavenger sarcophagids sampled with traps containing bovine liver in a Cerrado area of the state of Mato Grosso do Sul (Toma et al 2020), indicating a preference for this habitat type

Summary

Introduction

Sarcophagidae, or flesh flies, is one of the most diverse families of Calyptratae flies, with over 3,100 species divided into three subfamilies: Miltogramminae, Paramacronychiinae, and Sarcophaginae (Pape et al 2011, Piwczynski et al 2017). The Neotropical Region harbors one of the most diverse Sarcophagidae faunas, with over 800 species, many of which belong to the subfamily Sarcophaginae (Pape 1996, Pape & Dahlem 2010). The larvae of the Paramacronychiinae and Sarcophaginae can be saprophagous, coprophagous, kleptoparasites in hymenopteran nests, predators of other insects’ eggs, parasitoids of other arthropods, and vertebrate parasites (Shewell 1987, Dahlem 1991, Pape & Dahelm 2010)

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