TY - JOUR
T1 - First documentation of early preimaginal stages of the blowfly Bengalia (Diptera: Calliphoridae)
AU - Szpila, Krzysztof
AU - Sinha, Shuvra Kanti
AU - Pape, Thomas
PY - 2016/7/1
Y1 - 2016/7/1
N2 - Adult blowflies of the large tropical genus Bengalia present a peculiar predacious behaviour, while breeding habits and morphology of their preimaginal instars have remained almost entirely unknown. Light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) were successfully adopted for the first documentation of morphology of eggs and first instar larvae of two species of Bengalia obtained in West Bengal, India. General egg morphology resembles the ground plan known from necrophagous blowflies, with similar form and structure of median area, hatching pleats and micropyle. The structure of the chorion, with subducted central parts of hexagons, is most similar to eggs of parasitic Pollenia and Rhinophoridae. Morphology of the first instar larvae of Bengalia is entirely different from known larvae of necrophagous blowflies. The complex anterior part of the cephaloskeleton in first instar Bengalia is unique within the Calyptratae, although the pseudocephalic sensory organs resemble those found in parasitic species of Calliphoridae and Sarcophagidae with a free-living first instar larva penetrating the soil environment. However, larval biology in Bengalia and in particular the function of their unique mouthhooks need further studies with an integrated field and laboratory approach.
AB - Adult blowflies of the large tropical genus Bengalia present a peculiar predacious behaviour, while breeding habits and morphology of their preimaginal instars have remained almost entirely unknown. Light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) were successfully adopted for the first documentation of morphology of eggs and first instar larvae of two species of Bengalia obtained in West Bengal, India. General egg morphology resembles the ground plan known from necrophagous blowflies, with similar form and structure of median area, hatching pleats and micropyle. The structure of the chorion, with subducted central parts of hexagons, is most similar to eggs of parasitic Pollenia and Rhinophoridae. Morphology of the first instar larvae of Bengalia is entirely different from known larvae of necrophagous blowflies. The complex anterior part of the cephaloskeleton in first instar Bengalia is unique within the Calyptratae, although the pseudocephalic sensory organs resemble those found in parasitic species of Calliphoridae and Sarcophagidae with a free-living first instar larva penetrating the soil environment. However, larval biology in Bengalia and in particular the function of their unique mouthhooks need further studies with an integrated field and laboratory approach.
U2 - 10.1016/j.jcz.2016.03.016
DO - 10.1016/j.jcz.2016.03.016
M3 - Journal article
SN - 0044-5231
VL - 263
SP - 16
EP - 23
JO - Zoologischer Anzeiger
JF - Zoologischer Anzeiger
ER -