Extensive collections of synanthropic fly parasitoids in animal excrement accumulations in the United States, Mexico, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, Uruguay, Chile, Denmark, Israel, and South Africa yielded seven forms of a Muscidifurax complex which were totally or partially reproductively isolated. Morphological studies of female and male parasitoids coupled with biological and zoogeographical information permitted the identification of five sibling species. Muscidifurax raptor Girault and Sanders 1910 is redescribed and four additional species are described as new: M. zaraptor, from the southwestern United States; M. raptoroides from Central America and Mexico; M. uniraptor from Puerto Rico, and M. raptorellus from Uruguay and Chile. Biological notes are added to the descriptions, and it was postulated that the genus is undergoing a process of speciation with local populations slowly becoming reproductively isolated and eventually giving rise to morphologically distinguishable entities. Most evidence suggests the establishment of Muscidifurax in the New World, concomitant with or shortly following the establishment of muscoid flies in accumulated excrement. Scanning electronmicroscopy was used in the analysis of some morphological structures.
The synonymy, distribution, host range, and life history of the gregarious larval–pupal parasitoid Tachinaephagus zealandicus Ashmead, is discussed. Laboratory studies of its biology were conducted at 25° ± 2 °C using Musca domestica L. as host. Its developmental stages are described. Under laboratory conditions its life cycle lasted 23–27 days. Parasitoid development accelerated with higher average densities per host. Single standardized hosts produced 3–18 adult parasitoids. Mated females provided with hosts lived 50.4–67.2 h. The average length of the reproductive period and number of hosts parasitized were independent of host density; however, the average number of eggs deposited per host increased at lower host densities. Adult emergence displayed circadian rhythmicity independent of photoperiod over 3+ days.
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