Development of larvae of the Australian blowfly,<i>Calliphora augur</i>(Diptera: Calliphoridae), at constant temperatures

Day, Donnah M.; Butterworth, Nathan J.; Tagat, Anirudh; Markowsky, Greg; Wallman, James F.

doi:10.1080/00450618.2021.1921269

Cited by 4 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…Such data are however available for the closely related species, Hemipyrellia ligurriens (Wiedemann, 1830), which has a quicker larval development cycle then C . augur [54–55]. If H .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Field succession studies and casework can help to identify forensically useful Diptera

Dawson

Barton

Wallman

2021

Journal of Forensic Sciences

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Fly development rates, and to a lesser extent succession data, can be used to provide an estimate of a minimum postmortem interval (mPMI). Yet, these data are most useful when a full account of species' ecology, seasonality, and distribution is known.We conducted succession experiments on human cadavers over different seasons near Sydney, Australia, to document forensically useful information, including the pre-appearance interval for carrion flies. We also compiled a detailed record of flies identified in casework collected in 156 cases distributed across New South Wales, Australia. We then compared the occurrence of fly species from both field and casework datasets to identify any consistencies or gaps to determine how useful species might be for forensic investigations. In the field experiments, we found differences in species diversity and abundance between seasons, as well as yearly variation between two winter seasons. Most fly species we recorded ovipositing showed a 2-or 3-day delay between adult arrival and oviposition in summer, with a longer delay in winter. Species that were previously encountered in casework, such as Calliphora augur (Fabricius, 1775) and Calliphora ochracea Schiner, 1868, were confirmed as forensically useful, with their colonization behavior and seasonal preferences documented here.Although not encountered in casework, we confirmed Hemipyrellia fergusoni Patton, 1925 as a primary colonizer of human cadavers. Our study emphasizes the need to link field and casework data for a complete understanding of all aspects of a carrion fly's ecology to assist forensic investigators in mPMI estimations.

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“…Such data are however available for the closely related species, Hemipyrellia ligurriens (Wiedemann, 1830), which has a quicker larval development cycle then C . augur [54–55]. If H .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Field succession studies and casework can help to identify forensically useful Diptera

Dawson

Barton

Wallman

2021

Journal of Forensic Sciences

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“…Many species employ generalist strategies to exploit carrion of a wide range of sizes (Beaver, 1977), whereas others specialise exclusively on larger carcasses (Kneidel, 1984 b ). The larvae of the Australian blowflies Calliphora augur and C. stygia exemplify the generalist strategy, and can be found in dead snails, small birds, as well as large mammal carcasses (Erzinclioglu, 1987; Day et al ., 2021) – and have likely evolved a range of adaptations to facilitate this.…”

Section: Landscape‐scale Characteristicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The wide range of ERPs we have identified provide exceptional models for testing such theory and elucidating mechanisms of adaptation and ecological specialisation. This is because ERPs can be manipulated in the field (Finn & Giller, 2000; Spencer et al ., 2021) and in controlled environments (Hanski, 1987; Shorrocks, 1991), and many of the species that use them can be easily reared in laboratory settings (Nguyen et al ., 2015; Khodaei & Long, 2019; Wylde, Crean & Bonduriansky, 2020; Day et al ., 2021). It is imperative that researchers begin to quantify these attributes of resources in nature, correlating diversity metrics of specialists and generalists with resource landscape characteristics (Jonsen & Fahrig, 1997; Cayuela et al ., 2019), or by manipulating resource characteristics in nature (Kneidel, 1984 b ) and assessing the outcomes for generalists and specialists alike.…”

Section: A Unifying Framework To Advance Knowledge Of Erpsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The ephemeral resource patch concept

2022

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Ephemeral resource patches (ERPs) – short lived resources including dung, carrion, temporary pools, rotting vegetation, decaying wood, and fungi – are found throughout every ecosystem. Their short‐lived dynamics greatly enhance ecosystem heterogeneity and have shaped the evolutionary trajectories of a wide range of organisms – from bacteria to insects and amphibians. Despite this, there has been no attempt to distinguish ERPs clearly from other resource types, to identify their shared spatiotemporal characteristics, or to articulate their broad ecological and evolutionary influences on biotic communities. Here, we define ERPs as any distinct consumable resources which (i) are homogeneous (genetically, chemically, or structurally) relative to the surrounding matrix, (ii) host a discrete multitrophic community consisting of species that cannot replicate solely in any of the surrounding matrix, and (iii) cannot maintain a balance between depletion and renewal, which in turn, prevents multiple generations of consumers/users or reaching a community equilibrium. We outline the wide range of ERPs that fit these criteria, propose 12 spatiotemporal characteristics along which ERPs can vary, and synthesise a large body of literature that relates ERP dynamics to ecological and evolutionary theory. We draw this knowledge together and present a new unifying conceptual framework that incorporates how ERPs have shaped the adaptive trajectories of organisms, the structure of ecosystems, and how they can be integrated into biodiversity management and conservation. Future research should focus on how inter‐ and intra‐resource variation occurs in nature – with a particular focus on resource × environment × genotype interactions. This will likely reveal novel adaptive strategies, aid the development of new eco‐evolutionary theory, and greatly improve our understanding of the form and function of organisms and ecosystems.

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