Community dynamics of carrion flies and their parasitoids in experimental carcasses in central Argentina

BATTÁN HORENSTEIN, M, SALVO A.

JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE

UNIV ARIZONA

Lugar: Arizona; Año: 2012 vol. 12 p. 1 - 10

1536-2442

Insects are the predominant group regarding both species richness and abundance that develop oncarrion. Among them, the most important decomposers using carrion as a source of food for theirdevelopment are the immature stages of the dipteran families Calliphoridae, Muscidae, andSarcophagidae. The large numbers of their larvae in carcasses are attacked by a rich communityof parasitoids, including species of Braconidae, Ichneumonidae, and Pteromalidae (Hymenoptera:Parasitica). The objective of this study was describing the temporal composition and dynamics ofa parasitoid community in relation to their dipterans hosts in carrion in terms of number ofspecies and specific composition, irrespective of the particular interactions between species inboth trophic levels. Additionally, seasonality of the climate in the region was investigated as afactor structuring the studied communities. The experiments were undertaken in the south ofCordoba, Argentina during 2004 in a rural area. Two traps per season were placed separatelyapproximately 300 m from each other in the study site. Each trap contained a domestic pig (Susscrofa) of approximately 8 kg as bait. Samples were taken daily during the first four weeks andthen every two or three days over the following weeks until the end of the experiment. Thedipteran community was represented by 15 species in 6 families of the Calyptratae Dipterawhereas parasitoids belonged to six families of the parasitic Apocrita Hymenoptera. Climaticseasonality was an important factor in determining the number of occurring species in thecarcasses and community composition. The highest number of species was observed in the springfor both communities.