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First Occurrence of Megaselia Scalaris (Loew) (Diptera: Phoridae) in Pupae of Palaeosepsis Sp

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First Occurrence of Megaselia Scalaris (Loew) (Diptera: Phoridae) in Pupae of Palaeosepsis Sp International Journal of Research in Pharmacy and Biosciences Volume 5, Issue 3, 2018, PP 7-9 ISSN 2394-5885 (Print) & ISSN 2394-5893 (Online) First occurrence of Megaselia scalaris (Loew) (Diptera: Phoridae) in pupae of Palaeosepsis sp. (Diptera: Sepsidae) Carlos Henrique Marchiori Graduated in Biological Sciences from the Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, MA in Parasitology from the University of Campinas and PhD in Parasitology from the University of Campinas. *Corresponding Author: Carlos Henrique Marchiori, Graduated in Biological Sciences from the Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, MA in Parasitology from the University of Campinas and PhD in Parasitology from the University of Campinas. Email: [email protected] ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to report the first occurrence of Megaselia scalaris (Loew) (Diptera: Phoridae) on pupae of Palaeosepsis sp. (Diptera: Sepsidae). Human feces were used as bait to collect insects. Host pupae were obtained by the flotation method and placed individually in gelatin capsules until adults emergence of the dipterous. In this study, six pupae of Palaeosepsis sp. were obtained, of which five produced the M. scalaris. Keywords: Insecta, Bait, Ptifall, Traps, Brazil INTRODUCTION The objective of this work is to report the first Phoridae are small or minute flies which can occurrence of M. scalaris in pupae of be recognized by their humpbacked appearance. Palaeosepsis sp. (Diptera: Sepsidae) (Fig. 2). The adults are fairly common in many habitats, but occur especially in decaying animal or vegetable matter. Some occur in fungi [1] and some are internal parasitoids [1, 2, 3] of various other insects [1]. Megaselia scalaris (Loew) (Diptera: Phoridae) (Fig. 1) is found in various environments and can explore large variety of ecological niches. The larvae can cause myiasis in different animals and in humans [4, 5, 6, 7]. Figure2. Palaeosepsis sp. Source: http://sepsidnet-rmbr.nus.edu.sg/ MATERIAL AND METHODS The study was conducted at the Campus da Faculdade de Agronomia in the city of Itumbiara, State of Goiás, Brazil. Each trap (pitfall) (Fig. 3) consisted of a plastic receptacle (basin) of 15 cm in diameter by 10 cm in height. Each receptacle was buried in Figure1. Megaselia scalaris earth, such as its upper extremity was at the Source: www.hispabase.com/galeria/albums/ userpic ground surface level. One liter of water, 20 ml s/10895/_J1N3750_R... of detergent and 2 ml of formol were poured in International Journal of Research in Pharmacy and Biosciences V5 ● I3● 2018 7 First occurrence of Megaselia scalaris (Loew) (Diptera: Phoridae) in pupae of Palaeosepsis sp. (Diptera: Sepsidae) each receptacle. A 200 ml pot was attached to Triatoma brasiliensis Neiva (Hemiptera: the basin by means of a thin wire that went Reduviidae) [8]. across it close to its edge, so as to keep the pot Some authors identified a novel phorid, M. hanging and centralized in the basin. The bait, scalaris, as a possible parasitoid of honey bee in consisting of human feces, was placed in this Brazil. Recently, in Europe, Diptera from the pot. This trap was protected by another plastic genus Megaselia was found able to parasitize receptacle of the same measurements (15 x adults of Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: 10 cm), which about more adequate as a Apidae) [9]. cover. Megaselia scalaris is a polyphagous organism that generally acts as saprophagous, sarcophagous, and necrophagous [8]. In addition, it could be a facultative parasitoid affecting different organisms [10]. CONCLUSION Further research should be conducted in order to obtain more information about the biology of M. scalaris. Further this paper report the first occurrence of M. scalaris in pupae Palaeosepsis sp. (Diptera: Sepsidae) in Brazil. REFERENCES [1] D.J. Borror, D.M. Delong, An introduction to the study of insects, Library of Congress, Figure 3. Ptifall Columbus, 1971. Source: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Armadi [2] C.J. Veríssimo, Inimigos naturais do carrapato lha-do-tipo-pitfall_fig4_305508702 parasita dos bovinos, Agrop. Catarinense. This contained four diametrically opposite 8(1999) 35-37. holes of around 5 cm in diameter and 7 cm [3] R. Andreotti et al., Ocurrence of the Megaselia scalaris (Loew, 1866) (Diptera, Phoridae) as a in height, and was supported on a metal parasitoid of Boophilus microplus in campo wire suspended 10 cm from the group. Six traps Grande, MS, Brazil. Rev. Bras. Parasitol. Vet. were used, with separations of two meters 12 (2003) 46-47. between each other, placed randomly placed, at [4] W.H. Robinson, Megaselia (M.) scalaris two meters of distance from each other. The (Diptera: Phoridae) associated with laboratory bait was replaced every 15 days. The pupae cockroach colonies, Proc. Entomol. Soc. Wash. that were found in the bait were separated 77 (1975) 384-390. out by means of the floatation method. These [5] J.S. Silva et al, Megaselia scalaris (Diptera: were then individually packed in gelatin Phoridae) causing myiasis in Crotalus durissus capsules until the dipterous emerged. terrificus (Serpentes: Viperidae) in Brasil, J. Med. Entomol. 36(1999) 630-631. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION [6] L.M.L Carvalho et al., A checklist of arthropods associated with pig carrion and In February 2005, six pupae of Palaeosepsis sp. human corpses in Southeastern Brazil, Mem. were found in human feces, from which four Inst. Oswaldo Cruz. 95(2000) 135:138. specimens of M. scalaris emerged. Probably this [7] P.T. Hira et al., Myiasis in Kuwait: nosocomial specie, in certain circumstances, such as the infections caused by Lucilia sericata and variations in the quality and availability of food Megaselia scalaris. Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg. resources or the density of hosts behave as larva 70(2004) 386-389. or pupa exploratory flies. [8] J. Costa et al., First record of Megaselia scalaris (Loew) (Diptera: Phoridae) infesting Reports in the current literature there is laboratory colonies of Triatoma brasiliensis reference referring to this species acting as a Neiva (Hemiptera: Reduviidae), Neotrop. tick females parasitoid [3] and in colonies of Entomol. 36(2007) 987-989. 8 International Journal of Research in Pharmacy and Biosciences V5 ● I3 ● 2018 First occurrence of Megaselia scalaris (Loew) (Diptera: Phoridae) in pupae of Palaeosepsis sp. (Diptera: Sepsidae) [9] L. Ricchiuti, Infestation of Apis mellifera colonies [10] C.P.Campobasso, R.H.L. Disney, F. Introna, A case of Megaselia scalaris(Loew) (Dipt., by Megaselia scalaris (Loew, 1866) in Abruzzo Phoridae) breeding in a human corpse, and Molise regions, central-southern Italy, J. Aggrawal's Internet J. Forensic Med. Apic. Res 55(2016) 187-192. Toxicol. 5(2004) 3–5. Citation: Carlos Henrique Marchiori," First occurrence of Megaselia scalaris (Loew) (Diptera: Phoridae) in pupae of Palaeosepsis sp. (Díptera: Sepsidae) in Brazil ", International Journal of Research in Pharmacy and Biosciences, vol. 5, no. 3, pp. 7-9, 2018. Copyright: © 2018 Carlos Henrique Marchiori. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. International Journal of Research in Pharmacy and Biosciences V5 ● I3● 2018 9 .
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