BRACHYMERIA PODAGRICA (FABRICIUS) (HYMENOPTERA: CHALCIDIDAE) AS PARASITOID OF HEMILUCILIA FLAVIFACIES ENDERLEIN (DIPTERA: CALLIPHORIDAE) COLLECTED IN STATE OF GOIÁS, BRAZIL

BRACHYMERIA PODAGRICA (FABRICIUS) (HYMENOPTERA: CHALCIDIDAE) COMO PARASITÓIDE DE HEMILUCILIA FLAVIFACIES ENDERLEIN (DIPTERA: CALLIPHORIDAE) COLETADO NO ESTADO DE GOIÁS, BRASIL

ABSTRACT

This article reports the first occurrence of the parasitoid Brachymeria podagrica (Fabricius) (Hymenoptera: Chalcididae) as parasitoids of Hemilucilia flavifacies Enderlein (Diptera: Calliphoridae). Human feces were used as bait to collect the insects. In the study, 30 pupae of H. flavifacies were obtained, three of which yielded the parasitoid B. podagrica. The parasitism was 10.0%.

KEY WORDS:
Diptera; Hymenoptera; human feces; biological control; natural enemy.

RESUMO

O objetivo do presente estudo é relatar a primeira ocorrência do parasitóide Brachymeria podagrica (Fabricius) (Hymenoptera: Chalcididae) como inimigo natural de Hemilucilia flavifacies Enderlein (Diptera: Calliphoridae). Para coleta dos insetos foi utilizado como isca fezes humanas. Obtiveram-se 30 pupas de H. flavifacies, das quais três emergiram parasitóides pertencentes à espécie B. podagrica. O parasitismo foi de 10,0%.

PALAVRAS-CHAVE:
Diptera; Hymenoptera; fezes humanas; controle biológico; inimigo natural.

Diptera is an optimal model to study synanthropy, not only for its ecological importance, but also fir its medical-veterinary aspects, as vectors of etiological agents, such as amoeba cysts, helminthes eggs, pathogenic enterobacteria, viruses and fungi (GREENBERG, 1971; D'ALMEIDA, 1992).

According D'ALMEIDA & LOPES (1983)Hemilucilia flavifacies Enderlein (Diptera: Calliphoridae) showed dislike for inhabited areas in Rio de Janeiro, in previous researches on favorite breeding substrates, performed in the zoo.

All the representatives of Chalcididae behave as parasitoids and most attack Lepidoptera, Diptera, Hymenoptera and Coleoptera (GRISSEL & SCHAUFF, 1990). The Chalcididae are cosmopolitan insects with a high diversity in the tropics (GAULD & BOLTON, 1988) including approximately 1,500 species. They are predominantly solitary endoparasitoids (GAULD & BOLTON, 1988).

Species of the genus Brachymeria Westwood are important primary parasitoids of muscoid Diptera, such as species of the Sarcophagidae (GRISSEL & SCHAUFF, 1990) and Calliphoridae families. Some species are of economical importance, for they attack insect pests (GAULD & BOLTON, 1988). This paper reports a new host for Brachymeria podagrica in Brazil.

This study was conducted at the College of Agronomy (Faculdade de Agronomia) located in Itumbiara County, State of Goias, Central Brazil (18º25'S; 49º13'W), Brazil. Flies were attracted to traps made of dull black tin cans (19 cm tall and 9 cm in diameter) with two blinder-like openings, located at the 1/3rd bottom part to allow flies entry. A nylon funnel with opened extremities and base turned down was attached to the upper part of each can. These traps were then wrapped with plastic bags, which after removal would allow for the capture of flies and parasitoids. Human feces, deposited on top of a soil layer, were placed as baits inside each can. Five of these traps were randomly hung on Eucalyptus sp. trees at 1 m above the soil level, 2 m apart from each other and 50 m away from a domestic garbage deposit.

The specimens collected were taken to the laboratory, killed with ethyl ether and stored in 70% ethanol for further identification. After the removal of the insects, the content of each trap was individually placed into plastic containers layered with sand to serve as substrate for larvae and pupae development. After remaining 15 days in the field these substrata were sifted for extraction of the pupae obtained under natural environment. Pupae were then individually transferred to gelatin capsules (number 00) to obtain flies and/or parasitoids.

Dr. Júlio Mendes, from the Federal University of Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, identified the Diptera. The specimens were deposited in the Laboratory of Biology of Lutheran Institute of Superior Teaching

The parasitism was calculated by the following formula: P = (parasitized pupae/total of pupae) x100.

During March 2001 to March 2002, three specimens of Brachymeria podagrica (Fabricius) were collected from 30 pupae of Hemilucilia flavifacies Enderlein (Diptera: Calliphoridae) showing 10.0% of parasitism. The high prevalence of parasitism can also be related to capacity of search of the parasitoid and to the availability of recourses.

According to ROBERTS (1933)B. podagrica was collected as a solitary parasitoid of Sinthesiomyia larvae (Muscidae), Cochliomyia, Lucilia, Calliphora sp., Calliphora coloradensis Hough, Callitroga macellaria (Fab.) Phaenicia sericata (Meig.) Phaenicia mexicana (Macq.), Phormia regina (Meig.) (Calliphoridae), Sarcophaga carnaria Linné, Sarcophaga haemorrhoidalis Fallén, Sarcophaga impar Aldrich, Sarcophaga peregrina (Robineau-Desvoidy) and Peckia chrysostoma (Wiedemann) (Sarcophagidae) (MARCHIORI, 2001).

This species occurred as a dipterous parasitoid, developed in rats carcasses in areas of tropical wood in the State of Goiás, Brazil. Its preferred host was Patonella intermutans (Walker) (Sarcophagidae) from where parasitoid pupae emerged, predominaty females (SILVA, 1991). TOMBERLIN & ADLER (1998) studying the decomposition and colonies of insects in the carcasses of rats during the summer and winter in the South Carolina (U.S.A.), collected B. podagrica in pupae of Sarcophaga sp. (Sarcophagidae).

Since the use of some chemical substances to control this fly may cause damages to the environment as well as to human health, the search for effective natural enemies might be a viable alternative to hold this vector in a control program.

This is the first report of B. podagrica in pupae of H. flavifacies in Brazil.

REFERENCES

• D'ALMEIDA, J.M. & LOPES, H.S. Sinantropia de dípteros caliptratos (Calliphoridae) no Estado do Rio de Janeiro. Arq. Univ. Fed. Rur, Rio de Janeiro, v.6, p.39-48, 1983.
• D'ALMEIDA, J.M. Calyptrate Diptera (Muscidae and Anthomyidae) of the State of Rio de Janeiro - I. Synanthropy. Mem. Inst. Oswaldo Cruz, v.87, p.381386, 1992.
• GAULD, I.D. & BOLTON, B. The Hymenoptera. Oxford: Oxford Univ. Press, 1988.
• GREENBERG, B. Flies and disease - ecology, classification and biotic association. New Jersey: Princeton Univ. Press, 1971.
• GRISSELL, E.E. & SCHAUFF, M.E. A handbook of the families of Nearctic Chalcidoidea (Hymenoptera). Washington: Entomological Society of Washington, 1990.
• MARCHIORI, C.H. Ocorrência de Brachymeria podagrica (Fabricius) (Hymenoptera: Chalcididae) como parasitóide de Peckia chrysostoma (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) no Brasil. Entomol. Vect., v.8, n.4, p.513-517, 2001.
• ROBERTS, R.A. Activity of blowflies and associated insects at various heights above the ground. Ecology, v.14, p. 306-314, 1933.
• SILVA, A.S. Himenópteros parasitóides associados a dípteros saprófagos, com especial referência aos Alysiinae (Braconidae). São Carlos: 1991. 54p. [Dissertação (Mestrado) - Universidade Federal de São Carlos].
• TOMBERLIN, J.K & ADLER, P.H. Seasonal colonization and decomposition of rat carrion in water and on land in na open field in South Carolina. J. Med. Entomol, v.27, p.704-709, 1998.

Publication Dates

• Publication in this collection
  05 July 2024
• Date of issue
  Apr-Jun 2003

History

• Received
  18 Dec 2002
• Accepted
  07 Apr 2003