Chemical imitation of yeast fermentation by the drosophilid-pollinated deceptive trap-flower Aristolochia baetica (Aristolochiaceae).

Deceptive flowers, unlike in mutualistic pollination systems, mislead their pollinators by advertising rewards which ultimately are not provided. Although our understanding of deceptive pollination systems increased in recent years, the attractive signals and deceptive strategies in the majority of species remain unknown. This is also true for the genus Aristolochia, famous for its deceptive and fly-pollinated trap flowers. Representatives of this genus were generally assumed to be oviposition-site mimics, imitating vertebrate carrion or mushrooms. However, recent studies found a broader spectrum of strategies, including kleptomyiophily and imitation of invertebrate carrion. A different deceptive strategy is presented here for the western Mediterranean Aristolochia baetica L. We found that this species is mostly pollinated by drosophilid flies (Drosophilidae, mostly Drosophila spp.), which typically feed on fermenting fruit infested by yeasts. The flowers of A. baetica emitted mostly typical yeast volatiles, predominantly the aliphatic compounds acetoin and 2,3-butandiol, and derived acetates, as well as the aromatic compound 2-phenylethanol. Analyses of the absolute configurations of the chiral volatiles revealed weakly (acetoin, 2,3-butanediol) to strongly (mono- and diacetates) biased stereoisomer-ratios. Electrophysiological (GC-EAD) experiments and lab bioassays demonstrated that most of the floral volatiles, although not all stereoisomers of chiral compounds, were physiologically active and attractive in drosophilid pollinators; a synthetic mixture thereof successfully attracted them in field and lab bioassays. We conclude that A. baetica chemically mimics yeast fermentation to deceive its pollinators. This deceptive strategy (scent chemistry, pollinators, trapping function) is also known from more distantly related plants, such as Arum palaestinum Boiss. (Araceae) and Ceropegia spp. (Apocynaceae), suggesting convergent evolution. In contrast to other studies working on floral scents in plants imitating breeding sites, the present study considered the absolute configuration of chiral compounds.

DNA barcoding data release for the Phoridae (Insecta, Diptera) of the Halimun-Salak National Park (Java, Indonesia).

Launched in 2015, the large-scale initiative Indonesian Biodiversity Discovery and Information System (IndoBioSys) is a multidisciplinary German-Indonesian collaboration with the main goal of establishing a standardised framework for species discovery and all associated steps. One aspect of the project includes the application of DNA barcoding for species identification and biodiversity assessments. In this framework, we conducted a large-scale assessment of the insect fauna of the Mount Halimun-Salak National Park which is one of the largest tropical rain-forest ecosystems left in West Java. In this study, we present the results of processing 5,034 specimens of Phoridae (scuttle flies) via DNA barcoding. Despite limited sequencing success, we obtained more than 500 clusters using different algorithms (RESL, ASAP, SpeciesIdentifier). Moreover, Chao statistics indicated that we drastically undersampled all trap sites, implying that the true diversity of Phoridae is, in fact, much higher. With this data release, we hope to shed some light on the hidden diversity of this megadiverse group of flies.

Characterization and Phylogenetic Analysis of the Complete Mitochondrial Genomes of Two Tiny Necrophagous Phorid Flies, Metopina sagittata and Puliciphora borinquenensis (Diptera: Phoridae).

The mitochondrial genome is frequently used for species identification and phylogenetic studies. In this study, we first sequenced and annotated the complete mitochondrial genomes of two phorid species that are forensically important in buried or enclosed environments: Metopina sagittata (Liu) and Puliciphora borinquenensis (Wheeler). The complete mitochondrial genome sequences of M. sagittata and P. borinquenensis were 15,640 bp with an A+T content of 75.97% and 15,429 bp with an A+T content of 75.38%, respectively. Their circular genomes both contained 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNA genes, 2 ribosomal RNA genes, and 1 control region located between rrnS and trnI which was 808 bp for M. sagittata and 746 bp for P. borinquenensis. All the PCGs of both species started with ATN codons except for cox1 which used TTG codon. In addition to the common stop codon TAA and TAG, the incomplete stop codon T was used in two PCGs (cox1 and nad4) of M. sagittata and five PCGs (cox1, cox2, cox3, nad5, and nad4) of P. borinquenensis. There were 3 and 10 mismatched base pairs in the tRNA secondary structures from M. sagittata and P. borinquenensis, respectively. Both maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference analyses indicated that Platypezidae and Phoridae are sister taxa. M. sagittata is closely related to P. borinquenensis within the subfamily Metopininae. This work enhances the databases of Phoridae genomes and contributes to the further study of species identification and phylogenetics of this family.

Vertical location of ephemeral resources by adult Diptera: Implications for the colonization of cadavers in high-rise buildings.

Sarcosaprophagous flies (Diptera) rank among the most common insects associated with human-transformed environments all over the world. Synanthropic species of the families Calliphoridae, Muscidae, Sarcophagidae and Phoridae, in particular, have tremendous forensic importance due to their ability to colonize human cadavers and thus provide information on minimum post-mortem interval. Recently, cases of flies colonizing cadavers inside buildings of different heights drew attention to the vertical dispersal abilities of these flies, a subject that has received little attention. We investigated the vertical distribution of sarcosaprophagous flies in an urban environment, using uninhabited buildings as experimental models in Northeastern Brazil. To assess the vertical stratification of flies, one in every three floors of nine buildings was sampled using traps baited with bovine spleen, from the ground to the 27th floor. Calliphoridae was the most abundant family (52.9%), followed by Muscidae (41.2%), Sarcophagidae (3.2%) and Phoridae (2.7%). Most of the insects were collected at ground level (78.8%), with a decreasing abundance registered on the higher floors. Nevertheless, adults of the four families tested here were able to reach substrates as high as the 15th floor, which corresponds to approximately 48 m in height. Regarding calliphorids, seven species were identified, of which Chrysomya albiceps (30.4%) and C. megacephala (68.3%) were the most abundant. This is, to our knowledge, the first detailed, replicated study on vertical resource localization of sarcosaprophagous flies.

The complete mitochondrial genomes of Diplonevra funebris and Diplonevra peregrina (Diptera: Phoridae).

Diplonevra is one of the most important genera in the family Phoridae. This genus is mainly distributed in Palearctic region, and its species can be used to estimate the postmortem interval. In this study, we first present two mitochondrial genomes of common necrophagous species of this genus, Diplonevra funebris (Meigen, 1830) and Diplonevra peregrina (Wiedemann, 1830). Maximum-likelihood phylogenetic tree revealed that the genus Diplonevra is closely related to the genus Dohrniphora within the family Phoridae. This work expands the knowledge about the Phoridae genomes, and contributes to the further study of species identification and phylogenetics of this family.

Accidental Nasal Myiasis Caused by Megaselia rufipes (Diptera: Phoridae) in a Child.

A case of a nasal myiasis in a 3-yr-old Italian girl who was referred to Bambino Gesù Hospital in Rome, Italy, is reported. Larvae discharged with the nasal mucus were microscopically identified as Megaselia spp.; DNA barcoding analysis showed that they belonged to the 'scuttle fly' species Megaselia rufipes (Meigen). Based on the patient's history, she became infected when she played outside. This is the first report of myiasis in humans due to M. rufipes (Diptera: Phoridae).

Intrapuparial Age Estimation of Forensically Important Dohrniphora cornuta (Diptera: Phoridae).

Dohrniphora cornuta (Bigot) is a forensically important phorid fly indoors and in burial environments. The determination of a minimum postmortem interval (PMImin) often relies on the determination of the age of the immatures. Although the larval development data of D. cornuta under different temperatures has been established, the intrapuparial stage which lasts for about half of the total immature development is scarce. In this study, we investigated the key morphological changes during intrapuparial development at constant temperatures (15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 33, and 36°C), with an aim to estimate the intrapuparial age of D. cornuta. Puparia were sampled at 12-h (24, 27, 30, and 33°C), 24-h (18 and 21°C), and 48-h (15°C) intervals. The morphological developments within the puparium were analyzed using a stereomicroscope after the puparium was removed. The average minimum duration of intrapuparial stage was inversely related to temperature, ranging from 184.79 ± 3.00 h at 30°C to 1102.86 ± 25.55 h at 15°C for female, and 197.40 ± 4.12 h at 30°C to 1175.33 ± 18.55 h at 15°C for male. It did not develop at 36°C. Some morphological traits that changed during development within the puparium could be used as age markers. According to these changes, the intrapuparial stage of D. cornuta was divided into nine stages which could be used for both sexes. This study provides relatively systematic development data of D. cornuta intrapuparial for the estimation of PMImin in forensic entomology.

The complete mitochondrial genomes of two scuttle flies, Megaselia spiracularis and Dohrniphora cornuta (Diptera: Phoridae).

Megaselia spiracularis and Dohrniphora cornuta were two forensically important flies in relatively sealed environments. Their mitochondrial genomes were first sequenced, annotated, and phylogenetic analyses were performed with other 8 species of the Asehiza in this study. Maximum-likelihood phylogenetic tree revealed that Phoridae is closer to Platypezidae and Lonchopteridae within Diptera. This work increases the databases of Phoridae species, and contributes to the further study of species identification and phylogenetics of this family.

DEPREDACION POR INSECTOS DE NIDOS Y NEONATOS PROTEGIDOS DE Podocnemis vogli (SABANAS INUNDABLES DEL CASANARE) / Prédation by insects of protected nests and hatchlings of Podocnemis vog/i (flooded savannas of Casanare)

RESUMEN La galápaga sabanera (Podocnemis vogli) es una tortuga de ambientes acuáticos, principalmente lénticos, que centra su época reproductiva en la temporada seca, en la que sus huevos son una importante fuente de alimento en la red trófica y para el hombre, de manera que frecuentemente son afectados por depredadores naturales. Con el propósito de reducir el efecto negativo de la depredación natural sobre las nidadas de P vogli en la Reserva Natural de la Sociedad Civil La Esperanza en Paz de Ariporo, se implementó una estrategia de protección directa con malla metálica y se realizó el seguimiento a las posturas durante tres periodos de anidación entre 2016 y 2018. Como resultado del uso de esta estrategia para proteger las nidadas, se evidenció el efecto de otros depredadores y parásitos menos conspicuos como las hormigas legionarias (Labidus) y las larvas de moscas parasitarias (Phoridae). En ambos casos la afectación se registró en los neonatos recién eclosionados de galápaga sabanera al interior de los nidos, algunos de ellos hallados en un estado de salud precaria o muertos. Este es el primer reporte de depredación de los neonatos de P. vogli por estas especies de insectos sobre las cuales las estrategias físicas convencionales de protección fueron ineficientes.

ABSTRACT The savanna side-necked turtle (Podocnemis vogli) is a river turtle of mainly lentic aquatic environments that centers its reproductive period in the dry season; its eggs are a significant source of nourishment in the food web that includes humans as well. Therefore, by monitoring and installing metal mesh we protected the nests during three spawning seasons (2016-2018). After using the mentioned protection strategy other possible predators or parasites, such as the insects, became evident. We observed that when monitoring clutches, organisms such as ants and parasitic flies took advantage of the newborn hatchlings inside the nests. In both cases, the affectations by both species caused considerable injuries in the neonates, which eventually showed a precarious state of health and even died rapidly. This is the first time that predation on P. vogli neonates by these insect species has been reported, in which physical protection strategies are not functional.

First record of genus Epicnemis Borgmeier, 1962 (Aenigmatiinae: Phoridae: Diptera) from China, with description of a new species.

The genus Epicnemis Borgmeier,1962 is firstly reported from Jiangxi Province, China, with description of a new species, E. linguiformis sp. nov. The new species is distinguished from others of the genus mainly by the structure of the processes on the epandrium.

A new genus of the Hypocera group (Diptera, Phoridae), with descriptions of two new species from China.

A new genus, Sinogodavaria gen. nov., with two new species, S. multiformis sp. nov. and S. tenebrosa sp. nov., is described from China. It belongs phylogenetically to the Hypocera group of genera. The species Latiborophaga bathmis Liu is transferred to the new genus. A key to species of the new genus is presented.

Differential Ability of Necrophagous Diptera to Colonize Concealed Resources: Empirical Evidence From a Field Experiment in Brazil.

Field studies in forensic entomology seem to assume that a cadaver is a resource equally accessible to flies, irrespective of the species' size, behavior, and sensorial capacity. We aimed to challenge this assumption by experimentally manipulating baited traps in order to test whether the accessibility to decomposing baits is related to the following: (i) the diversity of necrophagous dipterans; (ii) the body size of adults; and (iii) the female sexual maturity stage. The experiment was performed in a rainforest fragment in Northeastern Brazil, in an area characterized by high levels of homicides. Traps baited with decomposing chicken liver had three levels of access: easy (six openings on the trap), intermediate (three), and difficult (one). A total of 750 adults of Calliphoridae, Fanniidae, Muscidae, Phoridae, and Sarcophagidae were collected. Of the 18 species recorded, Megaselia scalaris was the most abundant (46.8%) followed by Lucilia eximia (29.7%) and Chrysomya megacephala (9.8%). The number of species increased significantly with the accessibility level, but overall abundance did not differ, as a consequence of the numerical dominance of M. scalaris. A strong female bias (>91%) was observed in all traps. For Calliphoridae specimens, 90% of the females caught in traps under intermediate and difficult access were sexually mature. By empirically demonstrating that limitation of access and exclusion of visual stimuli do not deter several dipteran species from reaching a substrate, we expand the knowledge on the factors that can shape the colonization of concealed human cadavers, including variables such as insect size and stage of sexual maturity.

A new species and new records of scuttle flies (Diptera: Phoridae) from Algeria.

Among seven species caught at wild boar carcasses in Algeria Megaselia falsum  Disney n. sp. is described and the hitherto unknown female of M. iberiensis Disney.

A new species of the ant-parasitizing genus Pseudacteon Coquillett (Diptera, Phoridae) from China.

A new scuttle fly of the genus Pseudacteon Coquillett, P. trapeziformis, from Mt. Changbai, northeat China is described and illustrated. The new species is distinguished from others of the genus mainly by shorter palp bristles and trapezoid sternite VI. A key to known Pseudacteon species of China is presented.

Insights on Funeral Practices and Insects Associated With the Tombs of King Ferrante II d'Aragona and Other Renaissance Nobles.

The impressive Sacristy of the Basilica of San Domenico Maggiore contains 38 wooden sarcophagi with the bodies of 10 Aragonese princes and other Neapolitan nobles, who died in the 15th and 16th centuries. To improve the knowledge about the entomofauna associated with bodies in archaeological contexts, herein we provide insights on the funerary practices and the insect community associated to Ferrante II King of Naples and other Italian Renaissance mummies of the Aragonese dynasty buried in the Basilica of St. Domenico Maggiore. We identified 842 insect specimens: 88% were Diptera (Muscidae, Fanniidae, and Phoridae), followed by 9% Lepidoptera (Tineidae) and 3% Coleoptera (Dermestidae and Ptinidae). Ninety-seven percent of the specimens were collected from the coffin of Francesco Ferdinando d'Avalos, which was the best preserved. A lack of fly species characterizing the first colonization waves of exposed bodies was noted. The most common fly was the later colonizing muscid Hydrotaea capensis (Wiedemann); only a few Fanniidae (Fannia spp.) were retrieved. The lack of blowflies, coupled with recording H. capensis as the dominant fly, supports our hypothesis that corpses have been kept indoors for a long time under confined environmental conditions. Other explanations include odorous oils/balms having been used in the embalming process, causing the delay or stopping the arrival of first colonizer flies. Hermetically sealing of the coffin with bitumen may also have played a role in preventing access to the corpses. This scenario describes a historical context characterized by a well-advanced knowledge of body preparation, with specific burial techniques adopted for nobles.

A new white-spotted Megaselia Rondani (Diptera: Phoridae) from western North America.

BACKGROUND: The phorid fly genus Megaselia Rondani is a large, poorly-known taxon whose species are found worldwide. NEW INFORMATION: A new species of Megaselia Rondani, M. simunorum, is described from both urban and rural sites in southern California. With a large area of white colour on the posterior part of the abdominal dorsum, it closely resembles the much more common species M. sulphurizona, but M. simunorum has distinctly thicker ventral setae on the abdomen and a differently-shaped white spot.

Immunity of leaf-cutting ants and its role in host-parasitoid relationships.

Parasites are an important selection pressure for all organisms, and host immune responses are key in shaping host-parasite interactions. Host species with strong immune defences may be expected to experience lower parasitism; on the other hand, investment in immune function is costly, so hosts that have evolved to invest more in immune defence may be expected to have been under greater selection pressure from parasites. Disentangling the coevolutionary dynamics requires comparative studies that quantify the immune responses of potential hosts of parasites in a community, but such studies are rare. Here, we studied the immune defences of six leaf-cutting ant species in a community for which their relationships with phorid fly parasitoid species are known. We tested whether the strength of the baseline immune defences of the different ant species correlated positively or negatively with parasitoid load (number and abundance of parasitoid species exploiting the ant species), and host specialization of parasitoid species (the proportion of specialist parasitoids using each host). We measured four immune variables: i) the encapsulation response to a standard challenge, levels of ii) phenoloxidase (PO) and iii) prophenoloxidae (PPO) immune enzymes, and iv) the number of haemocytes. We found that ant species differed in their encapsulation response, PO levels and number of haemocytes, and that there was a positive, not negative, correlation across ant species between the strength of several of the immune variables and parasitoid load, but not for host specialization. This is in keeping with the hypothesis that higher parasitoid load selects for greater investment in immune defences. Our results suggest that immunity may be an important factor accounting for the dynamics of host-parasitoid interactions in this community. Similar community-level studies may be insightful, both for understanding host-parasite community ecology and for applications such as biocontrol.

New Scuttle flies (Diptera: Phoridae) reared from dead Termite, Odontotermes formosanus (Shiraki, 1909) (Isoptera: Termitidae) in China.

Two scuttle flies, Megaselia nigrifinis sp. n. and M. setidifferitatis sp. n. are described and illustrated. The flies were reared from dead termite, Odontotermes formosanus (Shiraki, 1909) (Isoptera: Termitidae) in Nanjing, China.

Fourteen new species of scuttle flies (Diptera, Phoridae) from Denmark.

Megaselia anniduedahlae sp. n., M. balfourbrownei sp. n., M. birgittemarkae sp. n., M. carlkahleri sp. n., M. gerdakahlerae sp. n., M. helleorumae sp. n., M. jonasseni sp. n., M. legrandi sp. n., M. loneviolaae n sp. n., M. parhirticrus sp. n., M. pederseni sp. n., M. thomseni sp. n., Triphleba ehmseni sp. n., and T. papei sp. n., are described from Denmark.

Twenty one new species of Megaselia Rondani (Diptera: Phoridae) from Iran.

The following 21 new species from Iran are described, 7 from East Azerbaijan province Megaselia ajabshirensis, M. chicheckliensis, M. exkaleybar, M. kaleybarensis, M. qurigolensis, M. shabestarensis, M. zonuzensis. and 14 from West Azerbaijan province, M. evogliensis, M. farshbafi, M. ghalateshahensis, M. haddadi, M. hejazii, M. khaghaniniai Namaki Disney, M. khoyensis, M. ledzona, M. mahabadensis, M. miandoabensis, M. namakiae Khaghaninia Disney, M. pereensis, M. yaseri, M. zarghanii.