Larvae of Megaselia Róndani, 1856 (Diptera: Phoridae) as parasitoid of Sphingidae (Lepidoptera) and its frugivory on avocado

Thiago S. Souza; Vinicius J. Fernandes; Elen L. Aguiar-Menezes; André L. S. Resende; Thalles P. L. Pereira; Vinícius S. Gazal; Eurípedes B. Menezes

doi:10.37486/2675-1305.ec02020

Authors

Thiago S. Souza Postgraduate Program in Crop Science, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1604-5521
Vinicius J. Fernandes Postgraduate Program in Crop Science, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3979-1722
Elen L. Aguiar-Menezes Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro/Department of Entomology and Phytopathology https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3634-0202
André L. S. Resende Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro/Department of Entomology and Phytopathology https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5808-2596
Thalles P. L. Pereira University of São Paulo/Postgraduate Program in Zoology https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2075-3643
Vinícius S. Gazal Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro/Department of Entomology and Phytopathology https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4227-8639
Eurípedes B. Menezes Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro/Department of Entomology and Phytopathology https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8781-4896

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.37486/2675-1305.ec02020

Keywords:

Scuttle flies, Parasitoid-host relationship, Hawk moth, Fruit-eating habit, Persea americana

Abstract

The members of the family Phoridae (Insecta: Diptera), whose adults are commonly known as scuttle fly or humpbacked fly, differ widely as to their feeding habits in the larval and adult stages. Dipteran larvae of Megaselia Róndani, 1856 (Diptera: Phoridae) vary considerably in feeding habits. The results of this study confirm the parasitic and frugivorous habits of Megaselia larvae. Megaselia scalaris (Loew, 1866) behaved as primary parasitoid of Isognathus caricae (L., 1758) (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) larvae in confinement using cage under laboratory conditions. It is also the first time the frugivorous habit of M. scalaris larvae is recorded in ripe fruits of the avocado tree (Persea americana, Lauraceae) under field conditions.

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