Fly Community Research Articles

The effects of cattle ranching on the communities of necrophagous flies (Diptera: Calliphoridae, Mesembrinellidae and Sarcophagidae) in Northeastern Brazil

Most of the ongoing decline in biodiversity, worldwide, is due to human activities, in particular, the expansion of agriculture. In this context, we highlight the need for studies of the taxonomic groups that can provide insights into the dynamics of the ecological communities facing anthropogenic impacts. For this, we evaluated the effects of the environmental changes caused by cattle ranching on five phytophysiognomies (Cerrado Savanna, Amazon Forest, Palm Forest, Marshland, and Mangrove) in the state of Maranhao, Brazil. We tested the hypothesis that the species composition, abundance, and richness of the families Calliphoridae, Mesembrinellidae, and Sarcophagidae (Diptera) are affected by ranching in each of the phytophysiognomies. Specimens were collected at 90 sites, including 45 anthropic sites (cattle ranches) and 45 preserved habitats, using traps baited with bovine lung. We collected 15,023 calliphorids (11 species), 10,772 sarcophagids (52 species), and 241 mesembrinellids (one species). The results indicated significant differences between anthropic and preserved habitats in the species composition, abundance, and richness of sarcophagids, in particular in the Amazon Forest, where the highest species richness was recorded in the anthropic environments. In the case of the calliphorids and mesembrinellids, by contrast, significant differences were found in species composition and abundance in only in four of the five phytophysiognomies analyzed (excluding the Cerrado Savanna), while species richness only varied in the palm forest and marshland. In all cases, lower values were recorded in the anthropic environments. These results indicate that the insects of the families Sarcophagidae, Calliphoridae, and Mesembrinellidae respond differentially to the anthropic activity (cattle ranching) and can be used to evaluate this type of anthropogenic impact systematically. In addition, the Amazon Forest was the phytophysiognomy most impacted by this activity in the Brazilian state of Maranhao.

The Effect of Anthropization on Sarcophagidae (Diptera: Calyptratae) Community Structure: An Assessment on Different Types of Habitats in the Humid Chaco Ecoregion of Argentina.

Sarcophagidae (Diptera) are of great interest from a veterinary, medical, and forensic viewpoint, and are potential bioindicators for environmental impact assessments. In this study, we evaluated changes in abundance, species richness, and diversity of flesh flies in different habitat types in the Humid Chaco ecoregion of South America: 1) anthropized habitats: urban, cattle farm, and alfalfa crop, and 2) natural habitats: savanna and forest. We hypothesized that sarcophagid fly community parameters are affected by the anthropization and that spatial turnover will contribute more to the overall beta diversity than nestedness between habitats. In each habitat, samplings were conducted monthly from March 2015 to February 2016 in 25 sites, 5 per habitat, totaling 300 independent samples at the end of the study. We collected 5,790 Sarcophagidae (55 species). Community parameters of Sarcophagidae were evaluated and compared. The ecological effects of anthropization and habitat type were observed in the present study. As expected, our results showed the highest abundance, species richness, and diversity in the savanna and forest habitats (natural), whereas the lowest values were registered in the urban and alfalfa crop habitats, supporting the hypotheses of anthropization as the main driver of diversity loss. In addition, sarcophagid assemblages differed between all habitats and the overall dissimilarity was structured by spatial turnover. The main conclusion of this research is that flesh fly community structure is greatly affected by anthropization and habitat type, and this would be related to canopy cover and microclimate conditions of each environment.

Dung mimicry inTyphonium(Araceae): explaining floral trait and pollinator divergence in a widespread species complex and a rare sister species

AbstractThe process of pollinator-driven evolution is best studied at the level of populations and among closely related plant species. Araceae provide a plant model for investigating plant–pollinator interactions, but few studies have investigated intraspecific variation in their pollination systems. Typhonium brownii (Araceae) is distributed widely across 2000 km from tropical to temperate latitudes in Australia, yet the existence of intraspecific variation and ecotypes has not been investigated. Typhonium brownii from five regions, potentially representing distinct taxa, and populations of the sister species, T. eliosurum, were studied to explore pollinator and floral trait divergence. We characterize significant intraspecific floral trait variation in T. brownii, indicating the existence of a species complex, despite the taxa trapping similar Coleoptera (Staphylinidae, Scarabaeidae). Although all T. brownii showed similar temperature increases in the appendix, there were significant shifts in the timing and pattern of thermogenic and anthesis rhythms between regions (taxa), and all T. brownii taxa had distinct scent compositions, with T. sp. aff. brownii being the most dissimilar to other taxa. In contrast, T. eliosurum inflorescences almost exclusively trapped Diptera (Sphaeroceridae, Psychodidae), had modest temperature increases confined to the staminate zone and had a distinct scent profile which differed from all T. brownii taxa; this scent was confirmed in field bioassays to be important for pollinator attraction. Prevalent volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by T. eliosurum and T. brownii taxa included the common dung constituents skatole, indole and p-cresol. Typhonium eliosurum and T. brownii taxa further differed significantly in morphology and trapping mechanisms, particularly the fly-pollinated T. eliosurum. It is possible that a subset of ubiquitous VOCs identified in T. eliosurum and T. brownii taxa attract local communities of dung-seeking flies and beetles, and that floral morphological features are more important for trapping different insect orders in these dung mimics.

Species composition of sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) in caves of Quadrilátero Ferrífero, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Caves are extreme and inhospitable environments that can harbor several species of vertebrate and invertebrate animals. Among these animals are phlebotomine sand flies, vectors of parasites of the genus Leishmania that cause leishmaniasis. This study aimed to evaluate the species composition of sand flies of four caves, a cave located at Moeda Sul (MS) and three at Parque Estadual Serra do Rola Moça (PESRM), in the region of the Quadrilátero Ferrífero in the state of Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil. Sand flies were collected with automatic light traps. Non-Metric Multidimensional Scaling, using a dissimilarity matrix calculated with the Jaccard index, and Multivariate Permutation Analysis were used to evaluate sand fly species composition among entrance, interior, and the surrounding environments of each sampled cave and to infer biological mechanisms from patterns of distribution among these different cave environments. A total of 375 phlebotomine sand flies representing 14 species and six genera were collected. The most abundant species were Evandromyia tupynambai (54.7%), Brumptomyia troglodytes (25.6%), Evandromyia edwardsi (6.1%), Psathyromyia brasiliensis (4.8%) and Lutzomyia longipalpis (4.3%). Thirty individuals were collected at MS, 16 inside the cave and 14 from its surroundings. At PESRM, five individuals were collected from the surroundings of cave RM38, 190 individuals from cave RM39 (48 in the cave and 142 from its surroundings) and 150 individuals from cave RM40 (42 in the cave and 108 from its surroundings). The results revealed a rich sand fly fauna with similar species compositions among the entrance, interior, and surrounding environments of each sampled cave, suggesting that both caves and their surroundings are important for maintaining sand fly communities.

Long-lasting effects of antibiotics on bacterial communities of adult flies.

Insect symbionts benefit their host and their study requires large spectrum antibiotic use like tetracycline to weaken or suppress symbiotic communities. While antibiotics have a negative impact on insect fitness, little is known about antibiotic effects on insect microbial communities and how long they last. We characterized the bacterial communities of adult cabbage root fly Delia radicum in a Wolbachia-free population and evaluated the effect of tetracycline treatment on these communities over several generations. Three D. radicum generations were used: the first- and second-generation flies either ingested tetracycline or not, while the third-generation flies were untreated but differed with their parents and/or grandparents that had or had not been treated. Fly bacterial communities were sequenced using a 16S rRNA gene. Tetracycline decreased fly bacterial diversity and induced modifications in both bacterial abundance and relative frequencies, still visible on untreated offspring whose parents and/or grandparents had been treated, therefore demonstrating long-lasting transgenerational effects on animal microbiomes after antibiotic treatment. Flies with an antibiotic history shared bacterial genera, potentially tetracycline resistant and heritable. Next, the transmission should be investigated by comparing several insect development stages and plant compartments to assess vertical and horizontal transmissions of D. radicum bacterial communities.

Preliminary observations on the patterns of co-occurrence of Black fly (Diptera: Simuliidae) larvae and some of their potential macroinvertebrate predators

ABSTRACT Biotic factors such as predation, although important drivers of the black fly community, are rarely investigated in the literature. This study aimed to test the hypothesis that the patterns of co-occurrence of black fly larvae and its potential predators is not random and that there is a correlation between its frequencies and Simuliidae larvae abundances. Larvae were sampled from two localities in the Pedra Branca State Park, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, during the dry season in june 2018. We collected Simulium pertinax Kollar, 1832, Simulium subpallidum Lutz, 1910, Simulium (Inaequalium) sp., Simulium (Psaroniocompsa) sp. and Simulium (Trichodagmia) sp. The predators families present were Perlidae, Hydropsychidae, Leptoceridae, Libellulidae and Chironomidae. The null models showed that species co-occurred significantly more than expected by chance. The canonical correlation analyses for the Vargem Grande and Pau da Fome areas area showed a significant relationship between black fly abundances and predator abundances. In Vargem Grande the abundance of Chironomidae showed a highly significant positive correlation to S. (Psaroniocompsa) sp., while Hydropsychidae was significantly correlated to Simulium sp. On the other hand, in Pau da Fome Libellulidae was significantly correlated to S. (Psaroniocompsa) sp. and Simulium sp. and Chironomidae correlated significantly to Simulium sp. The result is consistent with what would be expected of organisms that exercise mutual population regulation, although other factors than biotic interactions may be causing these patterns. However the lack of mechanistic evidences on the effect of biotic interactions on black fly populations pose a challenge on the understanding of these patterns.

Adult Blow Fly (Diptera: Calliphoridae) Community Structure Across Urban-Rural Landscapes in Michigan, United States.

Necrophagous insects play an important role in the decomposition of vertebrate carrion. The documented colonization, development, and succession of blow flies (Diptera: Calliphoridae) and other arthropods on decomposing carcasses make their communities relevant for use in decomposition ecology and forensic investigations. This relevance relies on the local pool of species available to colonize a carcass, but such community level survey data are not always available. The objective of this research was to conduct a baseline survey of adult Calliphoridae communities from urban-rural land use types in the Great Lakes region. To test how adult blow fly distribution varies with changing landscape in Mid-Michigan, sampling with baited jars and hanging traps was implemented over the summer months of June, July, and August 2017. To determine how blow fly communities differed in urban to rural land cover, seven cities were selected with site locations ranging from high intensity developed areas to cultivated crop fields. Over 97,000 individual flies were captured represented by 11 Calliphoridae species. The adult Calliphoridae communities were primarily structured by land use type and month of collection, with these two factors interacting, suggesting that the effect of location varied by time of year. The two most abundant species, Phormia regina (Meigen) and Lucilia sericata (Meigen), cumulatively comprised 88.5% adult flies from Mid-Michigan. These findings provide a baseline database of Great Lakes Calliphoridae, with potential use in forensic research and casework.

Biodiversity of Medically Important Calyptratae Flies (Diptera: Schizophora) in Hospitals in the Northern Coastline of the Persian Gulf, Iran.

Domestic filth flies play a significant role in the transmission of nosocomial infections and cause nosocomial myiasis in hospitals worldwide. This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in five hospitals of the Hormozgan province, of southern Iran. Adult flies were collected by bottle fly traps. Specimens were pinned and morphologically identified using the relevant keys. Species biodiversity indices including Menhinick (M), Shannon-Wiener (H'), Pielou's Evenness (E), and Simpson's diversity (D) were calculated. Totally 2,298 individuals of 18 species of flies belonging to nine genera and four families were collected. Chrysomya megacephala was the most frequent species (37.3%), followed by Chrysoma albiceps (24.8%), Fannia canicularis (5.1%), Musca domestica (4.8%), Sarcophaga aegyptica (3.7%), and 15 other species (24.4%). Our results show a high diversity and abundance of domestic filth flies in the studied hospitals. Relatively similar data derived from various hospitals in this study can show the uniformity in sanitary conditions of hospitals. On the other hand, estimation of diversity indices alarmed for potential of dominant species in fly communities in hospital environments.

Forest management affects crane fly (Tipuloidea) community structure through changes in edaphic conditions

Abandonment of forest management is considered beneficial to a wide range of taxa, but evidence is lacking for many species, particularly soil-inhabiting taxa. We investigated the effects of forest management on crane fly (Tipuloidea) community structure and composition in seven forest sites in eastern Denmark. Crane flies were collected along with edaphic and structural variables in managed and unmanaged stands using a pairwise experimental design. Species richness of crane flies was significantly higher in unmanaged stands, also when excluding saproxylic species. Moisture, nitrogen and pH of soil had strong positive effects on species richness, and the observed differences between management regimes were mainly explained by soil moisture. Similarly, abundance was significantly higher in unmanaged stands and was positively associated with moisture and pH of soil. Species composition differed significantly between managed and unmanaged stands in four of the seven sites. Management had a small but significant effect on species composition on a large geographical scale, while the geographic location of the site had larger effects. Based on our findings, we recommend that future designations of unmanaged forest sites consider edaphic conditions as well as the geographic location. Further, forest conservation management should be focused on restoring natural moisture levels.

Environmental filtering of body size and darker coloration in pollinator communities indicate thermal restrictions on bees, but not flies, at high elevations.

BackgroundBees and flies are the two most dominant pollinator taxa in mountain environments of the Southwest USA. Communities of both taxa change dramatically along elevation gradients. We examined whether bee and fly traits would also change along elevation gradients and if so, do they change in a predictable way related to a decrease in temperature as elevation increases.MethodsWe used insect body size and darkness traits as proxies for energetic requirements and indicators of cold tolerance in order to assess patterns of bee and fly community trait differences along an elevation gradient. We examined 1,922 individuals of bees and flies sampled along an elevation gradient ranging from 2,400 meters to 3,200 meters and from 9.6 °C to 5.2 °C mean annual temperature. We examined bees and flies separately using community weighted means (site-level trait values weighted by species abundance) and estimates of environmental filtering (quantified as the inverse of the standardized range of trait values).ResultsBees and flies exhibited two somewhat distinct patterns; (1) Community weighted mean body volume and darkness of bees increased sharply at the highest elevation, and the intensity of environmental filtering also increased with elevation. This was due to both a change among bee populations within a species as well as species replacement at the highest elevation. (2) Community weighted mean body volume and darkness of flies also increased moderately with increasing elevation, but did not exhibit patterns of significant environmental filtering. In fact, the intensity of environmental filtering as indicated by the range of fly body volume weakened with elevation.ConclusionThe increase in filter intensity at high elevations exhibited by bees suggests a significant limitation on the breadth of viable functional strategies for coping with extreme cold, at least within this regional species pool. Flies, on the other hand, do not appear to be limited by high elevations, indicating that the shift from bee to fly dominance at high elevations may be due, at least in part, to greater environmental constraints on bee adaptation to colder environments.

Temperature accounts for the biodiversity of a hyperdiverse group of insects in urban Los Angeles.

The urban heat island effect is a worldwide phenomenon that has been linked to species distributions and abundances in cities. However, effects of urban heat on biotic communities are nearly impossible to disentangle from effects of land cover in most cases because hotter urban sites also have less vegetation and more impervious surfaces than cooler sites within cities. We sampled phorid flies, one of the largest, most biologically diverse families of true flies (Insecta: Diptera: Phoridae), at 30 sites distributed within the central Los Angeles Basin, where we found that temperature and the density of urban land cover are decoupled. Abundance, richness, and community composition of phorids inside urban Los Angeles were most parsimoniously accounted for by mean air temperature in the week preceding sampling. Sites with intermediate mean temperatures had more phorid fly individuals and higher richness. Communities were more even at urban sites with lower minimum temperatures and sites located further away from natural areas, suggesting that communities separated from natural source populations may be more homogenized. Species composition was best explained by minimum temperature. Inasmuch as warmer areas within cities can predict future effects of climate change, phorid fly communities are likely to shift nonlinearly under future climates in more natural areas. Exhaustive surveys of biotic communities within cities, such as the one we describe here, can provide baselines for determining the effects of urban and global climate warming as they intensify.

Species turnover between the northern and southern part of the South China Sea in the Elaphropeza Macquart mangrove fly communities of Hong Kong and Singapore (Insecta: Diptera: Hybotidae)

A recent survey of the mangroves around Hong Kong revealed the presence of seven species of the genus Elaphropeza Macquart, 1827. All belong to a group of yellow species that occur exclusively in mangroves. Three species were previously known: Elaphropeza calcarifera Bezzi, 1912 and E. xanthocephala Bezzi, 1912, both from Taiwan, and E. riatanae Shamshev & Grootaert, 2007 from Singapore. Four species are new to science: Elaphropeza furcatella sp. nov., E. guenardi sp. nov., E. hongkongensis sp. nov. and E. hongshulin sp. nov. All seven species are described or an extended diagnosis is provided. All species are figured and NGS barcodes are made available. A key is given for the Hong Kong species and their siblings from Singapore and Taiwan. Remarkable is that five of the seven species are more or less closely related to species occurring in Singapore. Genetic distances and morphologic differences are congruent. The species turnover between the northern part and the southern part of the South China Sea is high, with only one of the seven species present in both regions.

Effects of fire on scuttle flies (Diptera: Phoridae) in a pine forest in Poland

Ecological consequences of fire on the scuttle fly communities were investigated in a pine forest in Poland (Garwolin Forest). Data from 1,243 identifiable individuals, representing 48 species, were used. The scuttle fly communities in fire-affected plots were similar in terms of the number of species but less diverse than those in an undisturbed reference plot. The response of the flies to the fire was species-specific. Four Megaselia species (M. brevicostalis, M. nigriceps, M. elongata and M. obscuripennis) were most numerous in the plot most affected by fire. Approximately three years after the fire the scuttle fly communities were relatively similar to those found in a clear-cut pine plantation (Bialowieza Primeval Forest) as well as to those in post-windthrow habitats (Pisz Forest) in which logs were removed or left. The Megaselia species are the winners in the fire affected habitats and seem to be more stress-tolerant than other genera ofthe scuttle flies.

The microbiology, pH, and oxidation reduction potential of larval masses in decomposing carcasses on Oahu, Hawaii

Previous studies have begun to characterize the microbial community dynamics of the skin, soil, gut, and oral cavities of decomposing remains. One area that has yet to be explored in great detail is the microbiome of the fly larval mass, the community of immature flies that plays a significant role in decomposition. The current study aimed to characterize the microbiology and chemistry of larval masses established on pig (Sus scrofa domesticus) carcasses and to determine if these characteristics have potential as temporal evidence. Carcasses (n = 3) were decomposed on the soil surface of a tropical habitat on Oahu, Hawaii, USA and sampled over three days at 74 h, 80 h, 98 h, 104 h, 122 h, and 128 h (∼85–142 Accumulated Degree Days) postmortem. Larval masses were analyzed via high-throughput 16S rRNA sequencing and in situ chemical measurements (pH, temperature, oxidation-reduction potential). A trend was observed that resulted in three distinct microbial communities (pre-98 h, 98 h, and post-98 h). The oxidation-reduction potential (Eh) of larval masses apparently regulated microbial community structure with the most negative Eh being associated with the least rich and diverse microbial communities. Overall, a significant interaction between time and taxa was observed, particularly with bacterial phyla Firmicutes and Proteobacteria. The current results provide new insight into the microbial community and chemical parameters of larval masses and indicate a temporal shift that could be further studied as a PMI estimator.

Organic farms conserve a dung beetle species capable of disrupting fly vectors of foodborne pathogens

Produce can be contaminated with enteric bacteria when livestock or wildlife feces are deposited in vegetable fields. Coprophagous beetles and flies might mitigate this threat as they feed but could also transmit pathogens if they contact plants. Improved food safety will result only from farming practices that enhance coprophage benefits and limit harms. On 49 mixed-vegetable farm fields across the western US states of Oregon and California, we found differences in coprophagous fly community composition under organic versus conventional management practices. While dung beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) community assemblages did not differ significantly based on farm management system, organic farms fostered populations ofOnthophagus taurus, a dung beetle species that is a known antagonist of human-pathogenicEscherichia coli. We examined the possible implications for food safety of interactions between O. taurus and a common fly species on the farms, Calliphora vomitora, in microcosms containing pig (Sus scrofa) feces inoculated with human pathogenicE. coliO157:H7 and placed near broccoli (Brassica oleracea) plants. In the absence of dung beetles, Calliphora vomitorareadily acquired the bacteria and transmitted them to broccoli foliage. In the presence of the dung beetleO. taurus, however,E. coliin the soil and fly survivorship were reduced, and the pathogen was rarely recovered from foliage. Altogether, our results suggest the potential for O. taurus to both directly suppress enteric pathogens in vertebrate feces and to indirectly reduce the spread of these bacteria by co-occurring flies. The beneficial beetle O. tauruswas common only on organic farms, suggesting these benefits of beetle-fly interference for food safety could be more likely under this farming regime. Future research that investigates interactions between the many other common dung beetle and fly species on these farms would help fully delineate any net benefit of these species-rich coprophage communities, and the farming systems that shape them, for food safety.

Population Fluctuation and Faunistic Analysis of Fruit Flies in a Commercial Guava Orchard (Psidium guajava L.)

Knowledge of the population fluctuation of a pest in an orchard allows the producer preventing and making use of techniques that control the insect pest before it causes economic damages. The objective of the present work was to verify fruit fly species population dynamics in a commercial of Psidium guajava L. (Myrtaceae) orchard in the Curimataú microregion of Paraíba, also to characterize the community of fruit flies through faunistic analysis as well. Fruits were collected biweekly, the total was 24 collections between August 2014 and July 2015 in the municipality of Nova Floresta-PB. Fruits were preferentially collected mature or at the beginning of maturation, differentiating fruits harvested on the soil, plants, and through PET traps containing different food attractants. After collection, fruits were kept in plastic trays filled with a layer of two centimeters of sterilized sand and covered with fabric ‘voil’. The trays were labeled with the field data and placed in a greenhouse. Past the period of 15-25 days the fruits, already in the stage of decomposition were examined in order to collect pupae and larvae of 3rd instar. A total of 462 specimens of fruit flies were collected in 12 months sampling period, they were collected from fruits gathered from the ground and from the tree, and through trapping, being 209 males and 253 females, all collected in P. guajava. From the results obtained during the sampling period, a total of four species were recorded by fruit collection and six species by a trap. A new specimen of Anastrepha was found that there was no register in Paraíba yet, Anastrepha hadropickeli Canal, Uramoto and Zucchi (2013), as well as a Rhagoletis sp. (Loew).

Tissue-specific (ts)CRISPR as an efficient strategy for in vivo screening in Drosophila

Gene editing by CRISPR/Cas9 is commonly used to generate germline mutations or perform in vitro screens, but applicability for in vivo screening has so far been limited. Recently, it was shown that in Drosophila, Cas9 expression could be limited to a desired group of cells, allowing tissue-specific mutagenesis. Here, we thoroughly characterize tissue-specific (ts)CRISPR within the complex neuronal system of the Drosophila mushroom body. We report the generation of a library of gRNA-expressing plasmids and fly lines using optimized tools, which provides a valuable resource to the fly community. We demonstrate the application of our library in a large-scale in vivo screen, which reveals insights into developmental neuronal remodeling.

Urban and Rural Spatial Delineations in Blow Fly Species (Diptera: Calliphoridae) Across Canada: Implications for Forensic Entomology.

Blow fly (Diptera: Calliphoridae) larvae are commonly used in forensic cases to determine postmortem intervals using development rates and successional changes in community composition. Studies are conducted from different regions to provide these data. We wanted to know how widely applicable these data are. We examined whether urbanized landscapes have distinct urban blow fly communities or whether the community composition in urbanized areas is simply a variation of that found in the surrounding habitat or ecozone. Using liver baited traps, we sampled 7,272 flies from 32 sites across Canada and used mapping analysis to assess urban and rural landcover classifications, and compared urban and rural species abundance and composition. Blow fly species communities from urban areas across Canada were made up of similar species and differed from the communities found in nearby rural sites. Trapping at rural sites caught more blow flies compared with urban sites (mean flies/site 59.5 and 12.4). Of the 14 species caught, 8 were caught at urban sites, 61% of these being Cynomya cadaverina Robineau-Desvoidy, 14% Phormia regina Meigen, and 11% Lucilia sericata (Meigen). In rural sites, all 14 species were caught, 41% of specimens caught were P. regina, 21% C. cadaverina, 10% Calliphora vomitoria (Linnaeus), with only 4% L. sericata. These data suggest that regional studies are appropriate for forensic entomology applications in urban landscapes, given the similar trends across Canada, less so for wilderness or rural landscapes.

Influence of Deforestation on the Community Structure of Sand Flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) in Eastern Amazonia.

Variation in the structure of phlebotomine (sand fly) communities in forest fragments with different degrees of preservation and human occupation (peridomicile) in eastern Amazonia was studied. We identified 43 species of sand flies in our study, of which 38 occurred in both preserved forest areas and in the peridomiciles of short-term settlements, while another 28 species occurred in altered forest fragments and long-term settlements. The composition of the community at each site changed with the type of environment (forest or peridomicile), with the species Lutzomyia evandroi, L. whitmani, L. choti, L. serrana, L. triacantha, L. migonei, L. hirsuta, L. shannoni, and L. brachyphylla accounting for more than 54% of the differences among environments. The quality of the environment exerted a significant influence on the structure of phlebotomine communities, and affected their species composition, richness, and abundance.

Does sharp force trauma alter blow fly attraction to, colonization of, and decomposition of vertebrate remains?

AbstractForensic entomologists use insect evidence to estimate the minimum postmortem interval of human remains. However, how different forms of trauma influence insect attraction to, and colonization of, the body is poorly understood. Our objective was to identify the Calliphoridae community present in the Piedmont region (Georgia, USA), and determine whether postmortem sharp force trauma (none vs. slashed vs. stabbed) altered insect attraction, colonization, and the resulting decomposition rate of stillborn pigs (Suidae). We show that the limited blow fly community is dominated by Lucilia coeruleiviridis Macquart (Diptera: Calliphoridae). Third instars (L3) of L. coeruleiviridis were found on control pigs at 48 h, slashed pigs at 36 h, and stabbed pigs at 24 h. Decomposition rate, as determined by total body score, was greater in the first 12 h in stabbed pigs, compared to control and slashed pigs. Further experimentation is required to determine the effect of different forms of trauma on insect attraction, colonization, and resulting vertebrate decomposition rates.