Morphological Aspects of the Larval Instars of Chrysomya albiceps (Diptera, Calliphoridae) Reared in the Laboratory

Abstract

In order to study the morphology of young Chrysomya albiceps forms, newly hatched larvae were collected at 2 hr intervals, during the first 56 hr; after this time the collection was made at 12 hr intervals. For identification and drawing, larvae were placed between a slide and a coverslip. The cephalopharyngeal skeletons along with the first and last segments were cut off for observation of their structures and spiracles. The larvae present microspines, which are distributed randomly throughout the 12 segments of the body surface; the cephalopharyngeal skeleton varies in shape and extent of sclerotization according to larval instar; the second and third instars have relatively long processes (tubercles) on the dorsal, lateral and ventral surfaces, with microspine circles on the terminal portio

Prey choice by facultative predator larvae of Chrysomya albiceps (Diptera: Calliphoridae)

“…Hatched larvae were reared on an excess of ground beef until the third instar in all species studied, when they were taken and introduced in empty vials (7 cm height x 6 cm diameter) to estimate predation rates in different combinations. Larval instar was determined by using accepted morphological characters used to separate the various development stages of blowflies (Prins 1982, Greenberg & Szyska 1984, Erzinçlioglu 1987, 1990,Tantawi & Greenberg 1993, Queiroz et al 1997.…”

Records of Chrysomya albiceps in Northern Italy: an ecological and forensic perspective

“…Larvae develop in animal carrion, human cadavers and in faeces and they can cause primary and secondary cutaneous myiasis in mammals (Zumpt 1965, Marchenko 1985, Smith 1986, Hall & Smith 1993, Hall & Wall 1995, Paraluppi & Linhares 1995, Queiroz et al 1997, Soler 2000, Adham et al 2001, Madeira 2001, Grassberger et al 2003. Adults of both sexes feed on faeces, carrion and rotting fruit (Martinez-Sanchez et al 2000).…”

Morfometría geométrica alar para la identificación de Chrysomya albiceps y C. megacephala (Diptera: Calliphoridae) de Venezuela

“…Estos grupos constituyen la categoría más importante para el establecimiento del Intervalo Post Mortem (IPM), tiempo transcurrido desde el momento del deceso hasta el instante que se encuentra el cadáver (Cova 1974, Smith 1986, Queiroz et al 1997, Magaña 2001, Liria 2006. Los insectos son atraídos al cadáver por los gases desprendidos durante el proceso de degradación de glúcidos, lípidos, entre otros, generando amoníaco (NH 3 ) ácido sulfúrico (SH 2 ), nitrógeno (N 2 ) y anhídrido carbónico (CO 2 ) (Byrd & Castner 2001).…”

“…Calliphoridae, es una de las familias con el mayor número de especies de importancia forense (Queiroz et al 1997). En Venezuela, se ha reportado la dominancia del género Chrysomya sobre los otros dípteros.…”