Taxonomy of Blow Flies in Taiwan and Reproductive Behavior of Chrysomya megacephala (Diptera: Calliphoridae)
Date Issued
2014
Date
2014
Author(s)
Yang, Shih-Tsai
Abstract
Using insect and other arthropod evidences to solve all kinds of legal problems is the main purpose of forensic entomology. The most important issue in this field is estimating minimum post-mortem interval (mPMI) of victims or animals. Some of necrophagous blow fly (Diptera: Calliphoridae) species reproduce on corpse, and their larvae also develop on corpse. These flies are often used to help to estimate mPMI. By calculating the age of larva through some methmatic models, estimation of mPMI can be learned. To use flies to estimate mPMI, correct species identification and knowledge of its binomics and behaviors are necessary. These knowledge can help to modify the estimation. In this study, the second chapter is about taxonomy of Taiwanese calliphorid species, including morphological keys to all taxa, name lists, and description of one new species. According to results, there are 76 species of 28 genera of nine subfamilies in Taiwanese Calliphoridae. Most species in subfamilies Calliphorinae, Chrysomyinae, and Luciliinae are necrophagous species, show forensic importance. Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius) and C. pinguis (Walker) of Chrysomyinae is one of the most common necrophagous species in lowland and in higher elevations respectively. In behavior study parts, these two species are mainly used as model species. The most important behavior of blow flies that may affect the accuracy of mPMI estimation is oviposition behavior. In the third chapter, qualitative and quantitative tests were used to verify gregarious oviposition behavior of blow flies. Results suggested that single female showed no egg-laying behavior, and fecundity of a female increased when numbers of companions raised. Vision may be one of the possible factors that females used to recognize the presence of companions, and thus induced gregarious oviposition. Size, and color may be factors that influenced visual cue. Different species show different effects to gregarious oviposition. On the other hand, nocturnal oviposition of blow flies has long been a controversial issue. In chapter 4, locomotor including flying and crawling were used as an index for testing the possibility of nocturnal oviposition. According to the results, locomotor activity of gravid females, but not that of males nor virgin females, will be increased by illumination at night time. In the last chapter, the possible reasons that the two morphologically and behaviorally similar species show habitat differenciation were verified by testing the adult and larval performance of their fitness under different temperature conditions. Locomotor activity of adult C. pinguis is significantly higher than that of C. megacephala under lower temperature condition, and larval performance of C. megacephala is significantly higher than that of C. pinguis when at higher temperature. Different strategies of these two species may be evolved to prevent interspecific competition and thus showed habitat differenciation.
Subjects
麗蠅科
檢索表
新種
聚集產卵
夜間運動
棲地分化
法醫昆蟲學
Type
thesis
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