The Nocturnal Ovipositon Behavior of Chrysomya megacephala (Diptera: Calliphoridae) in Brazil and Its Forensic Implications

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
L T Carneiro ◽  
W T A Azevedo ◽  
V M Aguiar ◽  
M S Couri
Keyword(s):  
Forensic Entomology ◽  
Oviposition Behavior ◽  
Total Darkness ◽  
Artificial Light ◽  
Fume Hood ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Important Species ◽  
Chrysomya Megacephala ◽  
Average Temperature ◽  
Males And Females

Abstract Chrysomya megacephala (Fab. 1794) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) is a very important species for forensic entomology, mainly contributing estimations of the postmortem interval (PMI) in judicial investigations. There are some doubts about the nocturnal oviposition of these flies, which could lead to errors in the PMI calculation. This study aimed to monitor the nocturnal oviposition behavior of this species through four experimental conditions carried out in laboratory. Ten cages, each containing five males and females (n = 100), were kept in a fume hood and subjected to total darkness or to artificial light for 11 consecutive hours. Two verifications were performed to determine whether the females deposited eggs on the substrate of ~20 g of chicken gizzards per cage. The first verification occurred at 9:00 pm in nocturnal experiments and at 09:00 am in diurnal experiments. The second verification occurred at 05:00 am in nocturnal experiments and at 05:00 pm in diurnal experiments. Each experiment lasted 5 d. Chrysomya megacephala deposited eggs at night under artificial light and in total darkness, but the amount of eggs was significantly lower when compared with the daytime experiments in dark conditions and under natural light. Oviposition occurred when the average temperature was around 25°C (± 2°C) and relative humidity around 73% (± 6%). Night oviposition is a possibility which should not be ruled out. Thus, future experiments are recommended.

scholarly journals Physiological, Biochemical, and Growth Parameters of Fogera Cattle Calves to Heat Stress during Different Seasons in Sub-Humid Part of Ethiopia

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 1062
Author(s):  
Michael Abera ◽  
Yesihak Yusuf Mummed ◽  
Mitiku Eshetu ◽  
Fabio Pilla ◽  
Zewdu Wondifraw
Keyword(s):  
Heat Stress ◽  
Growth Parameters ◽  
Hematological Parameters ◽  
Average Temperature ◽  
High Weight Gain ◽  
Different Seasons ◽  
Current Production ◽  
Humidity Index ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Number Of Males

Fogera cattle are among indigenous breeds of cattle in the northern part of Ethiopia. However, their response to heat stress (HS) under different seasonal variations has not been well investigated. This study was aimed to determine physiological, hematological, biochemical, and growth parameters of Fogera cattle calves to HS during dry season, short rainy, and long rainy. A total of 72 calves (24 for each season) that were 6 months of age with an equal number of males and females were evaluated for physiological, hematological, biochemical, and growth parameters. Daily ambient temperature (AT) and relative humidity (RH) were recorded two times per day during the study periods from which the daily average temperature–humidity index (THI) was calculated. The study revealed higher AT and THI during dry and short seasons while higher RH was observed during the long rainy season. Physiological parameters except rectal temperature were affected by the seasons. Hematological parameters were also affected by season except for packed cell volume. Biochemical and growth parameters were also significantly affected by the seasons. THI was positively related with physiological but negatively with growth parameters. Thus, the THI value of 66 can be considered as optimum for high weight gain and normal physiological response to HS in Fogera cattle calves under their current production system.

EXPERIMENTS WITH ARTIFICIAL LIGHT: NECESSITY FOR PROPERLY IDENTIFYING THE SOURCE

1982 ◽  
Vol 114 (4) ◽  
pp. 377-379 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernard J. R. Philogène
Keyword(s):  
Light Intensity ◽  
Mass Rearing ◽  
Fluorescent Light ◽  
Artificial Light ◽  
Ecological Studies ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Artificial Illumination

The use of artificial illumination in entomological studies is extensive. Incandescent and fluorescent lights are used in mass-rearing insects necessary for physiological and ecological studies, and in photoperiod-controlled as well as in electrophysiological experiments.One of the main problems facing investigators in the interpretation of their results or in comparing these to preceding reports is the plethora of ways in which experimental conditions involving light are reported. Here are some examples: “The ants were kept under fluorescent light from 0800 to 2000 hours; light intensity on the ants was about 400 lux” (McCluskey 1965).

scholarly journals Demographic aspects of Chrysomya megacephala (Diptera, Calliphoridae) adults maintained under experimental conditions: reproductive rate estimates

2006 ◽  
Vol 49 (3) ◽  
pp. 457-461 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcelo Henrique de Carvalho ◽  
Claudio José Von Zuben
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Life Expectancy ◽  
Reproductive Rate ◽  
Demographic Parameters ◽  
Intrinsic Growth Rate ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Chrysomya Megacephala ◽  
Finite Growth ◽  
Life Expectancy Estimate ◽  
Age Estimates

The objective of this work was to evaluate some aspects of the populational ecology of Chrysomya megacephala, analyzing demographic aspects of adults kept under experimental conditions. Cages of C. megacephala adults were prepared with four different larval densities (100, 200, 400 and 800). For each cage, two tables were made: one with demographic parameters for the life expectancy estimate at the initial age (e0), and another with the reproductive rate and average reproduction age estimates. Populational parameters such as the intrinsic growth rate (r) and the finite growth rate (lambda) were calculated as well.

Trophic spectrum of the sailfish Istiophorus platypterus caught off Acapulco in the southern Mexican Pacific

2012 ◽  
Vol 93 (4) ◽  
pp. 1097-1104 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra Berenice Hernández-Aguilar ◽  
Leonardo Andrés Abitia-Cárdenas ◽  
Xchel Gabriel Moreno-Sánchez ◽  
Marcial Arellano-Martínez ◽  
Eduardo González-Rodríguez
Keyword(s):  
Prey Species ◽  
Feeding Habits ◽  
Coastal Region ◽  
Important Species ◽  
Mexican Pacific ◽  
Istiophorus Platypterus ◽  
Important Prey ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Index Of Relative Importance ◽  
Size Interval

The sailfish Istiophorus platypterus is one of the most common billfish species in the Mexican Pacific. Information about its feeding habits in the coastal region of Acapulco, Guerrero is extremely limited. In the present study we quantified the diet of sailfish, based on captures made from March 2008 to December 2009 by the sport fishing fleet of Acapulco. We analysed a total of 561 stomachs, of which 254 contained food (45%). The size interval of examined specimens was between 101 and 212 cm postorbital length and between 15 and 47 kg total weight. In general, teleosts were the most important prey, followed by cephalopods. According to index of relative importance, the most important species in the diet were the fish Auxis thazard (63.04%) and Fistularia commersonii (6.62%), followed by the cephalopod Octopus spp. (4.58%). There were no significant differences in the diet by sex (males and females), sexual maturity (immature and mature), or by season (warm and cold seasons). In all cases the most important prey species was A. thazard. We conclude that the sailfish I. platypterus off Acapulco behaves as a specialist predator because, despite the consumption of a high number of prey items, it feeds preferentially on a reduced number of prey species that form schools, and are available and abundant in the ocean.

Host-finding capacity of schistosome cercariae: comparative efficiency of methods of mouse infection and a radioisotope assay system

1977 ◽  
Vol 51 (2) ◽  
pp. 105-113 ◽  
Author(s):  
Niels Ørnbjerg Christensen ◽  
Flemming Frandsen ◽  
Peter Nansen
Keyword(s):  
Exposure Period ◽  
Host Finding ◽  
Assay System ◽  
Total Darkness ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Comparative Efficiency ◽  
Immersion Technique ◽  
Tail Immersion ◽  
Direct Proportionality ◽  
Tail Bound

ABSTRACTThe efficiency of five different methods of infection of mice with Schistosoma mansoni or S. intercalatum cercariae was compared; of these the ring method, the tail immersion technique, and the paddling method were found to be the most effective.A new radioisotope assay system for cercarial host-finding capacity is described. This employs the tail immersion technique with radiolabelled S. mansoni cercariae. The amount of tail-bound radioactivity retained after exposure to radiolabelled cercariae was used to measure the host-finding capacity of the cercariae under various experimental conditions. A direct proportionality was found to exist between the number of penetrating radiolabelled cercariae and the subsequent tail-bound radioactivity. Also, a direct proportionality was demonstrated between the number of labelled larvae available in the suspension and the subsequent tail-bound radioactivity. The influence of light and of length of exposure period on cercarial host-finding was analysed. After an exposure period of 30 minutes the amount of radioactivity confined to tails in the light greatly exceeded that of tails exposed in total darkness. However, after 60 minutes comparable radioactivity levels were achieved in the tails exposed in the light or in total darkness, respectively. In the light, maximum tail-bound radioactivity was achieved after 20 minutes exposure and no further change was observed in the radioactivity level at 40 and 60 minutes.

THE RELATION OF BARK MOISTURE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF CANKER DISEASES CAUSED BY NATIVE, FACULTATIVE PARASITES: 2. FUSARIUM CANKER ON BLACK COTTONWOOD

1959 ◽  
Vol 37 (5) ◽  
pp. 781-788 ◽  
Author(s):  
John E. Bier
Keyword(s):  
Moisture Content ◽  
Populus Trichocarpa ◽  
Close Correlation ◽  
Black Cottonwood ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Growing Period ◽  
Average Temperature ◽  
Fusarium Lateritium ◽  
Dormant Season ◽  
Canker Development

A close correlation was found to exist between the development of a bark canker in nursery-grown Populus trichocarpa Torrey and Gray, caused by Fusarium lateritium Nees., and the moisture content of the living bark. When bark moisture was expressed as a percentage of the amount of water required to saturate the sample under experimental conditions, relative turgidities of 80% or more inhibited canker development which, however, occurred normally at lower percentages. Studies of the epidemiology of Fusarium canker in the nursery afforded evidence in support of the limiting effect of bark moisture on canker development. Thus during the dormant season of 1957–58, the monthly average temperature was higher than the minimum temperature for the growth of F. lateritium on potato dextrose agar, and the relative turgidity did not reach the inhibiting value of 80%. Cankers continued to develop throughout this period. During the growing season while temperatures were still more favorable for fungus development, no extension of cankers occurred in the nursery trees, apparently because, during the growing period, the relative turgidity was in excess of 80%. Canker development was prevented during the winter by placing dormant cuttings in water, which likewise increased the moisture content of the bark above the 80% level.During the dormant season the bark of field-grown black cottonwoods maintained relative turgidity values of approximately 80% or higher and the disease could not be found on these trees.

scholarly journals Behavioural shift of estuarine mudcrab as biomarker of arsenic exposure in Sundarbans estuary of West Bengal

2010 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 258-262 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sanjib Saha ◽  
Mitali Ray ◽  
Sajal Ray
Keyword(s):  
Sodium Arsenite ◽  
West Bengal ◽  
Biological Activities ◽  
Natural Habitat ◽  
Arsenic Exposure ◽  
Biosphere Reserve ◽  
Scylla Serrata ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Important Species ◽  
Behavioural Profile

Mudcrab Scylla serrata (Crustacea: Decapoda) in an ecologically and economically important species of Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve was studied for its behaviour under the exposure of toxic arsenic - a common xenobiotic of this area. The behavioural profile of aquatic animals exposed to diverse toxicants are considered as an index to estimate the degree and nature of stress experienced by the animals both in nature and in experimental conditions. Present investigation involved study of selected behavioural shift of S. serrata under the sublethalconcentrations of 1, 2 and 3 ppm of sodium arsenite for 1, 2, 3 and 4 days in controlled laboratory condition. Exposure to arsenic resulted an appearance of selected abnormal behavioural manifestation including tendency of avoidance, hypersecretion of mucoid element and release of excess excretory products. Toxin induced alteration of studied behaviour is indicative to possible shift in the overall physiological functions and biological activities of this important species in its natural habitat. Chronic exposure to 3 ppm of sodium arsenite for 30 days may lead to decline this economically important species in Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve.

scholarly journals Effect of increased ambient temperature on seasonal generation number in Lucilia sericata (Diptera, Calliphoridae)

2021 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 191-198
Author(s):  
Maksym V. Makaida ◽  
Oleksander Y. Pakhomov ◽  
Viktor V. Brygadyrenko
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Climate Change ◽  
Temperature Increase ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Steppe Zone ◽  
Lucilia Sericata ◽  
Farm Animals ◽  
Intergovernmental Panel ◽  
Important Species ◽  
Average Temperature

Abstract Global climate change and, specifically, rising temperatures, may increase the number of generations of necrophagous insects. The common green bottle fly Lucilia sericata (Meigen, 1826) (Diptera, Calliphoridae) ranks among the most important cosmopolitan necrophagous insects that utilize corpses and cause myiasis in farm animals and humans. Based on the data simulations, the use of accumulated degree-hours enables to calculate the number of generations of this forensically important species of blowfly with a greater accuracy than before, considering short-term increases of temperature at the boundary of the cold and warm seasons. The number of generations of L. sericata has increased from 7.65 to 8.46 in the Ukrainian steppe zone over the last 15 years, while the active developmental period of this species has increased by 25 days due to earlier start in spring. The average temperature increase of 1 °C increased the number of generations of L. sericata by 0.85. With a global climate change following the Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 4.5 scenario (average temperature increase of 2.4 °C), adopted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, by 2100 the number of generations of L. sericata in a simulated ecosystem will increase by 2.0 to 9.0 generations per year.

Gender Differences in Navigation and Wayfinding using Mobile Augmented Reality

2005 ◽  
Vol 49 (21) ◽  
pp. 1868-1872 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali M. Ahmad ◽  
Brian F. Goldiez ◽  
P. A. Hancock
Keyword(s):  
Augmented Reality ◽  
Human Performance ◽  
Search And Rescue ◽  
Critical Aspect ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
On Demand ◽  
Post Test ◽  
Z Scores ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Better Than

Augmented Reality (AR) technology is sufficiently mature, where it is possible to evaluate improvement in human performance. A critical aspect of human performance is individual differences in AR. In the present study, the effect of gender on human performance in a “search and rescue” navigation task is assessed. Six conditions were investigated in the study: Two control conditions (paper map or compass prior to entering the maze), and four experimental conditions (combinations of egocentric and exocentric maps, and a continuously-on or on-demand map display). 120 subjects equally divided between males and females were tested. Pre and post test questionnaires were administered. Guilford-Zimmerman (G-Z) scores indicate that males perform better than females in spatial visualization and orientation tasks. The time for maze traversal for females exceeded that of males by 127 seconds on average for the no map condition. Also, males had better performance in covering the maze.

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