Exploring Life History Choices: Using Temperature and Substrate Type as Interacting Factors for Blowfly Larval and Female Preferences

Author(s)

Cunha, Vanessa A. S. ; Tandonnet, Sophie ; Ferreira, Diniz Lima ; Rodrigues, Andre V. ; Torres, Tatiana Teixeira

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: JOVE-JOURNAL OF VISUALIZED EXPERIMENTS; v. N/A, n. 201, p. 17-pg., 2023-11-01.

Abstract

Blowflies (Diptera: Calliphoridae) present a wide range of larval lifestyles, typically classified as obligate parasitism, facultative parasitism, and complete sapro-necrophagy. Several parasitic species, both obligate and facultative, are considered to be of sanitary and economic importance, as their larvae can cause myiasis (maggot infestation in live tissue). However, it is noteworthy that the adult female plays a decisive role as she chooses the oviposition site, and, therefore, largely determines the feeding habit and developmental conditions of the larvae. In this study, two protocols are proposed to test larval feeding preference and female oviposition site preference considering two interacting factors: meat substrate type and temperature. The setups presented here allowed to test Lucilia cuprina larvae and gravid females in a four -choice assay with two temperatures (33 +/- 2 degrees C and 25 +/- 2 degrees C) and two types of meat substrates (fresh meat supplemented with blood and 5-day-old rotten meat). Larvae or gravid females can choose to burrow or lay their eggs, respectively, in either of the following: rotten meat at 25 degrees C (simulating a necrophagous species condition), fresh meat supplemented with blood at 33 degrees C (simulating a parasitic species condition), and two controls, rotten meat at 33 degrees C, or fresh meat supplemented with blood at 25 degrees C. The preference is assessed by counting the number of larvae or eggs laid in each option for each replicate. Comparing the observed results to a random distribution allowed for the estimation of the statistical significance of the preference. The results indicated that L. cuprina larvae have a strong preference for the rotten substrate at 25 degrees C. Conversely, oviposition-site preference by females was more varied for the meat type. This methodology can be adapted to test the preference of other insect species of similar size. Other questions can also be explored by using alternative conditions. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 19/07285-7 - Evolution of complex traits: the example of feeding habits in Calliphoridae
• Grantee: Sophie Hokulani Véronique Jessica Tandonnet
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 21/10022-8 - Evolve and resequencing to understand blowfly trophic specialization
• Grantee: Diniz Lima Ferreira
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct)
• FAPESP's process: 20/05636-4 - Dimensions US-BIOTA-São Paulo: more to the blow fly than meets the eye: understanding evolutionary and genetic origins of diverse trophic specializations
• Grantee: Tatiana Teixeira Torres
• Support Opportunities: BIOTA-FAPESP Program - Thematic Grants