Use of Plant Resources byMerosargus(Diptera, Stratiomyidae, Sarginae) Larvae

Abstract

The genusMerosargus(Loew) has 142 described species. This great diversity in the genus could be explained by larvae resource-use specialization. However, information on larval habitats is still very scarce. InMerosargusspecies, adult males defend oviposition sites, and this territorial behavior may lead to interspecific competition and make even more important the specialization and niche partitioning to prevent competitive exclusion. This study identified substrate types used as a resource byMerosarguslarvae and investigated the degree of specialization and overlap in resource use by different species at an Atlantic forest remnant in Minas Gerais, Brazil. Every potential resource, especially those with adults in the vicinity, was collected opportunistically from October 2001 to October 2004. In total, 292 individuals from 12Merosargusspecies collected from 21 resource types and 15 plant species were reared in the laboratory. Plant species included herbs, vines, palms, and trees. SixMerosargusspecies were reared from only one resource type, and each resource type was used, on average, by less than twoMerosargusspecies. Thus,Merosargusspecies exhibited a high degree of specialization and small overlap in larval resource selection, which could explain the high local and global diversity of the genus.

Florivory and floral larceny by fly larvae decrease nectar availability and hummingbird foraging visits at Heliconia (Heliconiaceae) flowers

“…These larvae feed on debris, the plant tissue (including the flowers) and also on the nectar, and can be found in the interior of the flowers or in the interior of other parts of the plant (Seifert & Seifert , Seifert , Fontenelle et al . ).…”

“…TOTELMATA, which can contain a typical invertebrate community (Seifert 1975, 1982, Richardson & Hull 2000. In particular, flies (Diptera) of families such as the Stratiomyidae and Syrphidae may lay their eggs in the phytotelmata of the bracts or in injuries found on the pseudostem of the Heliconia plant, where their larvae will develop (Naeem 1990, Fontenelle et al 2012. These larvae feed on debris, the plant tissue (including the flowers) and also on the nectar, and can be found in the interior of the flowers or in the interior of other parts of the plant (Seifert & Seifert 1976, Seifert 1982, Fontenelle et al 2012.…”

Propuesta de incorporación de plantas del género Heliconia sp. como estrategia de conservación y manejo sustentable de sistemas cacaoteros y cafetaleros del Sur del Lago de Maracaibo y Valle del Mocoties, Venezuela

“…Pensamos que al alimentarse de partes concretas de las flores, la fauna hospedada no permite la formación de frutos, y/o que al hacerlo de partes o de la totalidad del fruto inmaduro, no se obtiene al final frutos maduros como lo sugieren Fontenelle et al (2012) y Missagia y Alvez (2017.…”

“…Muchos de estos insectos en su estado de larva se alimentan de las flores y de otros tejidos, afectando en muchos casos la fenología reproductiva de estas especies (Fontenelle et al, 2012;Missagia y Alvez, 2017). En este trabajo se estudia la fenología reproductiva y las características morfológicas de las brácteas de las heliconias con inflorescencia erectas nativas del Sur del Lago de Maracaibo, con la finalidad de relacionar y reconocer las especies con mayor potencial de uso en los sistemas agroforestales de cacao y café.…”

Lista das espécies de Pantophthalmidae e Stratiomyidae (Diptera, Stratiomyioidea) do estado do Mato Grosso do Sul, Brasil

“…De modo geral, tanto a morfologia quanto a biologia das formas imaturas das espécies brasileiras estão sendo estudadas (Pujol-Luz & Leite, 2001;Pujol-Luz & Xerez, 1999;Xerez & PujolLuz, 2001;Xerez et al, 2002Xerez et al, , 2003aXerez et al, ,b, 2004Viana et al, 2003;Pujol-Luz et al, 2004). Alguns outros aspectos de biologia (e.g., fonte de recursos) das espécies neotropicais também foram estudados (Fontenelle et al, 2012).…”