Topic
Miltogramminae
About: Miltogramminae is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 16 publications have been published within this topic receiving 282 citations.
Papers
TL;DR: An identification key is presented for the third instar larvae of European flesh flies of forensic importance and is user-friendly and requires no dissections of larvae, as soaking the material in methyl salicylate will allow observation of all diagnostic details of the cephaloskeleton.
Abstract: Necrophagous Sarcophagidae are among the insects most frequently reported from human corpses. The broad forensic application of flesh flies is restricted by the lack of reliable tools for species identification of larval stages and mass breeding of collected flesh fly larvae to the adult stage, and more recently DNA-based methods are usually recommended for precise species identification. To overcome this situation, the following study was implemented: (1) original larval material was obtained of the European flesh flies of confirmed or potential forensic importance; (2) larval morphology was studied and documented using a combination of standard light microscopy, image-stacking stereomicroscopy and SEM; and (3) larval characters used in previously published keys were critically revised. The taxonomic value of the following characters was considered insignificant: (1) differences in level of sclerotisation of particular parts of the cephaloskeleton, (2) level of sclerotisation of the posterior spiracular peritreme and (3) the shape of posterior spiracular slits. A high taxonomic value was noticed for the general shape of anterior spiracles, pattern of arrangement of their lobes, and distribution and shape of spines/warts on the inter-band area of segments. Two character states—long window in the dorsal cornu of cephaloskeleton and deep spiracular cavity on anal division—are not found in the Miltogramminae and therefore cannot be considered as family-specific for the entire Sarcophagidae. As a comprehensive result of our studies, an identification key is presented for the third instar larvae of European flesh flies of forensic importance. The key is user-friendly and requires no dissections of larvae, as soaking the material in methyl salicylate will allow observation of all diagnostic details of the cephaloskeleton. A simple stereomicroscope (magnification about ×50) is sufficient for the observation of all characters presented in the key. This key may be systematically extended by the addition of species present in adjacent geographical regions.
82 citations
TL;DR: Ancestral state reconstruction of larval feeding strategy and five larval characters reveals that the ancestor of Miltogramminae was likely a saprophage retaining plesiomorphic oral ridges and a cephaloskeleton with sclerotized dorsal bridge, suggesting that the ancestral first instar larva actively searched for a buried food supply.
46 citations
TL;DR: This study reconstructs the most comprehensive phylogeny to date of Sarcophagidae with the most noteworthy exception being the subfamily Paramacronychiinae emerging as paraphyletic with regard to the Miltogramminae, which is in strong conflict with morphological evidence.
Abstract: The available data for Sarcophagidae in GenBank were analysed in order to reconstruct the most comprehensive phylogeny to date. GenBank was explored for nine markers that are commonly used in various molecular and phylogenetic studies of flesh flies. We obtained data for 187 species and constructed an aligned dataset with 9241 characters. However, the matrix suffered from 74% missing data due to a low number of sequences for some markers and in most of the cases only short fragments of the analysed genes were available. The reconstructed tree was taxonomically biased towards the subfamilies Paramacronychiinae (12% of the described species) and Sarcophaginae (8.6% of the described species) and specifically the genusSarcophaga. The third subfamily Miltogramminae was represented by only 0.7% of described species. Moreover, about half of the included species were of forensic importance, while the percentage of such species in the entire family was estimated at 7%. Many nodes had very low support, so in order to increase the support and thereby identify a 'core topology', we pruned 'rogue' taxa and applied different substitution models. Both strategies improved support considerably, although some nodes still were left unresolved. An analysis of the distribution of bootstrap values across chronograms showed that the weakest phylogenetic signal is restricted to that part of the tree which coincides with the onset of rapid radiations mainly within the genusSarcophaga. Our study is concordant with phylogenies obtained by other authors, with the most noteworthy exception being the subfamily Paramacronychiinae emerging as paraphyletic with regard to the Miltogramminae, which is in strong conflict with morphological evidence. We discuss the new findings in the light of traditional taxonomical classifications of Sarcophagidae and recent molecular studies.
46 citations
TL;DR: The species Beludzhia phylloteliptera Rohdendorf is redescribed from adult males and females as well as all larval instars collected in the United Arab Emirates and placed with Dolichotachina Ville- neuve and Phyllotels Loew in the tribe Phyllotsotelini.
Abstract: The species Beludzhia phylloteliptera Rohdendorf is redescribed from adult males and females as well as all larval instars collected in the United Arab Emirates. The morphology of the first instar larva is strikingly similar to that of Dolichotachina margi- nella (Wiedemann) and Phylloteles pictipennis Loew, all of which are here documented for the first time. These three generic repre- sentatives share several character states, which are probably plesiomorphic relative to the condition observed in other miltogrammine larvae, but the uniquely shaped, slender mouthhook, a cushion- or pad-like lobe behind the maxillary palpus (cheek organ), the antero-ventral segmental prolegs of the first instar larva, and the integumental warts of the third instar larvae, are shared character states not known from any other species of Sarcophagidae. Beludzhia Rohdendorf is therefore placed with Dolichotachina Ville- neuve and Phylloteles Loew in the tribe Phyllotelini.
40 citations
TL;DR: The larva is shown to possess a strongly modified pseudocephalon with comb-like lateral processes, a large ventral organ, and a transversely enlarged, slit-like (or ⊥-shaped) functional mouth opening of the miltogrammine flesh fly Apodacra pulchra Egger, 1861.
Abstract: The morphology of the first instar larva of the miltogrammine flesh fly Apodacra pulchra Egger, 1861 is described using SEM and light microscopy. The larva is shown to possess a strongly modified pseudocephalon with comb-like lateral processes, a large ventral organ, and a transversely enlarged, slit-like (or ⊥-shaped) functional mouth opening. The thoracic cuticle is forming longitudinal ridges, and the abdominal segments have a single long lateral sensory sensilla on each side. Morphology is discussed in context of the remaining Oestroidea in general and of the subfamily Miltogramminae in particular.
38 citations
Related Topics (5)
Performance Metrics
| Year | Papers |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2017 | 3 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2013 | 2 |
| 2011 | 1 |