Assemblage of Necrophagous Diptera in Atlantic Insular Environments and Response to Different Levels of Human Presence

Abstract

Islands act as natural laboratories for ecological studies to explain bioinvasion processes and, in this scenario, necrophagous Diptera have never been used as model organisms. This study aimed to (i) describe assemblages of necrophagous Diptera (Calliphoridae and Sarcophagidae) in two insular environments of different origins and distances from mainland, (ii) investigate the effect of anthropogenic impact on the assemblage of carrion flies, (iii) to quantify the establishment of invasive species in the two islands, and (iv) to infer about the conservation status of the islands based on the ecological parameters. Sampling was performed in 2011-2012, in the dry and rainy season. Insects were collected by using traps with chicken liver or sardine baits. In each island, environments exposed to different degrees of human impact were sampled. Ecological analyses were carried out to characterize the assemblages of Calliphoridae and Sarcophagidae, with emphasis on the relation between native and invasive species. In total, 99,862 adults of 21 species of blow flies and flesh flies were collected. Overall abundance in the oceanic island was higher than in the continental island, although the richness of species was higher in the latter. The type of bait did not influence diversity of species sampled in either island. No difference was observed in total richness of both families according to the gradient of anthropogenic impact, in both islands. The invasive species Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius) was classified as dominant in all environments, irrespective of the anthropogenic impact, which raises concern about the conservation status of each island.

Keywords: Blow flies; Pernambuco; flesh flies; invasive species; islands.