Recent African derivation of Chrysomya putoria from C. chloropyga and mitochondrial DNA paraphyly of cytochrome oxidase subunit one in blowflies of forensic importance

Chrysomya chloropyga (Wiedemann) and C. putoria (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) are closely related Afrotropical blowflies that breed in carrion and latrines, reaching high density in association with humans and spreading to other continents. In some cases of human death, Chyrsomya specimens provide forensic clues. Because the immature stages of such flies are often difficult to identify taxonomically, it is useful to develop DNA-based tests for specimen identification. Therefore we attempted to distinguish between C. chloropyga and C. putoria using mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequence data from a 593-bp region of the gene for cytochrome oxidase subunit one (COI). Twelve specimens from each species yielded a total of five haplotypes, none being unique to C. putoria. Therefore it was not possible to distinguish between the two species using this locus. Maximum parsimony analysis indicated paraphyletic C. chloropyga mtDNA with C. putoria nested therein. Based on these and previously published data, we infer that C. putoria diverged very recently from C. chloropyga

Dietas naturais na criação de Chrysomya albiceps (Wiedemann, 1819; Diptera: Calliphoridae): estudo comparado Natural diets to rear Chrysomya albiceps (Wiedemann, 1819; Diptera: Calliphoridae): a comparative study

Procurou-se observar o desenvolvimento pós-embrionário de Chrysomya albiceps, testando-se, comparativamente, dietas à base de sardinha e carne eqüina. Os substratos frescos foram previamente mantidos a 30&deg;C de temperatura durante duas horas. Foram inoculadas 50 neolarvas em 100g de dieta por repetição. Utilizaram-se quatro repetições por tratamento. O experimento foi conduzido em condições de laboratório. O peso médio das larvas após o abandono espontâneo das dietas foi de 91,19mg, no substrato à base de carne eqüina e 76,01mg, no substrato à base de sardinha, a diferença foi, portanto, significativa. A taxa de sobrevivência larval registrada foi superior a 80%, enquanto a taxa de sobrevivência pupal foi próxima a 100%. A razão sexual foi próxima a 0,5. A dieta à base de carne eqüina mostrou-se mais adequada ao desenvolvimento de C. albiceps, pois as larvas mantidas neste substrato apresentaram-se mais pesadas, o que potencializa a capacidade reprodutiva do adulto.<br>The objective of the present study was to observe the postembryonic development of Chrysomya albiceps reared on sardines or horse meat and to compare the results. Fresh substratos were maintened m an oven ai 30&deg;C for 2 hours. Fifty newly emerged larvas were inoculated into 100g diel per reptication. Four replications per treatment were used. The experiment was conducted under laboratory conditions. The mean weight of postfeeding larvas was 91.19mg for especimens reared on horse meat and 76.01mg for especimens reared on sardines, with a marked difference between diets. Larval viability was more than 80% for the two diets, while pupal viability was dose to 100%. The sex ratio was about 0.5. The horse meat diet proved to be more adequate for the development of C. albiceps since the larvas weighed more, with consequent potentiations of adult reproductive abilily

Associação entre larvas de Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius) e Chrysomya albiceps (Wiedemann), Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius) e Cochliomyia macellaria (Fabricius) (Calliphoridae, Diptera) sob condições de laboratório Association between Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius) and Chrysomya albiceps (Wiedemann), Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius) and Cochliomyia macellaria (Fabricius) larvae (Calliphoridae, Diptera), under laboratory conditions

<abstract language="eng">This paper intends to recognize some aspects of interspecific relationships between Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius) and C. albiceps (Wiedemann) and between C. megacephala and Cochliomyia macellaria (Fabricius) larvae in laboratory. A diet consisting of decomposing horse flesh was used, and the relation of 1 larva/g diet was established. The development of the two species was done in pure and associated cultures. The association with Chrysomya albiceps influenced the post-embrionary development period and the weight of mature larvae of the C. megacephala, reducing their. Such weight decrease, along with the predation of larvae of C. megacephala larvae, yelded a decrease in survival in all of the stages. Larvae of this species showed an increase in its weight when associated with Cochliomyia macellaria. The native species responded to the association by reducing its body weigth and its viability. This association doesnt influence the duration of post-embrionary development