Musculature of the ovipositor of Scathophagidae (Diptera) with reference to the larval habits

Structure of the ovipositor sclerites and musculature was investigated in 4 species of Scathophagidae: Cordilura ciliata (Meigen, 1826), Scathophaga suilla (Fabricius, 1794), S. litorea (Fallén, 1819) and Pogonota barbata (Zetterstedt, 1860). Adaptations of the ovipositor structure and muscles associated with changes of the oviposition substrate due to new larval habits (plants and semi-liquid material) are analyzed. Changes of the ovipositor structure of scathophagids with phytophagous larvae to ovipositor structure in scathophagids with other types of the larval feeding habits are based more on the ovipositor skeleton than on its muscle