Ultrastructure of Immatures Stages and Life Cycle of <i>Helicobia aurescens</i> (Diptera: Sarcophagidae: Sarcophaginae)

Abstract

Helicobia aurescens is a flesh fly associated with pig and rat carcasses. This study aims to describe the life cycle at two temperatures (27 ± 1 °C and 29 ± 1 °C) and analyze the morphological characteristics of the eggs, larvae, and puparia of H. aurescens using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Temperature is an abiotic factor that greatly influences the development of insects. The larval development of H. aurescens lasts longer at 27 ± 1 °C than it does at 29 ± 1 °C, affecting the growth of newly hatched larvae into adults. The females larviposited three times more at 27 °C than they did at 29 °C, and the number of days laying larvae was also greater. At 27 °C, they laid larvae for 38 days, whereas, at 29 °C, the females larviposited for 21 days. No hatching lines or median areas were detected on the exochorion with SEM, as in the other sarcophagid species. The first-instar larva is very similar to those of the other species. The second instar has anterior spiracles present on the first thoracic segment, with six or seven ramifications aligned regularly. On the third instar, these structures have eight ramifications in a regular row and are located dorsolaterally. The puparium morphology is similar to that of the third-instar larvae.

Keywords

• scanning electron microscopy
• bionomy
• flesh fly
• morphology
• biology
• development