Temperature‐dependant development of Nasonia vitripennis on five forensically important carrion fly species |
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Authors: | Sasha C Voss Helen Spafford Ian R Dadour |
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Institution: | 1. Centre for Forensic Science M420, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia;2. School of Animal Biology M092, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia;3. Department of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA |
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Abstract: | The effects of temperature and host species on the development of Nasonia vitripennis Walker (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae), a forensically important parasitoid of carrion flies, were studied under laboratory conditions. Development time of N. vitripennis on five species of Calliphoridae (Diptera), Calliphora albifrontalis Malloch, Calliphora dubia Macquart, Lucilia sericata Meigen, Chrysomya rufifacies Macquart, and Chrysomya megacephala Fabricius, were determined under eight constant temperatures (15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 33, and 36 °C). Thermal requirements for development (developmental thresholds, thermal constant, and optimum temperature) of N. vitripennis in each host species were estimated using linear and nonlinear models. Upper and lower developmental thresholds ranged between 36.6–38.4 and 9.6–11.1 °C, respectively. The optimum temperature for development was estimated at between 30.6 and 31.8 °C. Statistical differences in the development time of N. vitripennis on the various calliphorid host species were evident within all temperature treatments, particularly at the upper and lower temperature range investigated. As such, it is recommended that insect‐based estimates of time since death in forensic investigations relying on parasitoid evidence should use host‐specific development data where available. |
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Keywords: | forensic entomology parasitoid thermal requirements Calliphora albifrontalis Calliphora dubia Lucilia sericata Chrysomya rufifacies Chrysomya megacephala Hymenoptera Pteromalidae Diptera |
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