Face Fly Musca Autumnalis De Research Articles

Analysis of gene flow in North American face fly (Musca autumnalis) populations

Vertical polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was used to resolve enzymes at ten putative loci in face flies Musca autumnalis De Geer, a colonizing, Palaearctic species established in North America for at least 210 generations. Flies were sampled in 1991 from six locations in Iowa, two in Maryland, two in Minnesota, two in Tennessee, three in New York, and three in Missouri. Nondirectional temporal variation in gene frequencies over a 4-year interval was detected at farms in central Iowa. Heterogeneity in allele frequencies was detected among farms in Iowa, Maryland, New York and Minnesota but not in Tennessee and Missouri. There were no consistent departures from random mating. Partitioning variances in gene frequencies showed that 58% of the variation occurred in populations among states and 43% between populations within states. Mean reproducing immigrants per population per generation was estimated to be eighteen flies. No regional genetic differentiation was detected, and there were no barriers to gene flow within or among diverse populations in the six states. Earlier data bearing on gene flow among and between Nearctic and Palearctic face fly samples were analysed and significant differentiation was not detected.

Nematode Parasites of the Face Fly and the Onion Maggot in France and Denmark1234

During the summer of 1968 specimens of the face fly Musca autumnalis De Geer, and the onion maggot, Hylemya antique (Meigen), were collected from Denmark and France and examined for nematode parasites. The Nematode Heterotylenchus autumnalis Nickle was found to parasitize face flies in France but at very low rates. No nematodes were obtained from face flies collected in Denmark. However, nematodes were obtained from 3 female Morellia hortorum (Fallen) and 2 female Scatophaga stercoraria (L.). The nematodes infecting Morellia were identified as belonging to the genus Heter-otylenchus . The nematodes from Scatophaga were not saved, consequently no determination was made. The nematode H. aberrans Bovien was found parasitizing the onion maggot in France and Denmark but at low rates. An unidentified nematode was retrieved from several specimens of the seed-corn maggot, Hylemya piatura (Meigen), also collected from onion fields. H. aberrans was introduced into the United States from Denmark, but attempts to transfer it to native stock were unsuccessful.