Title :

Benefits of heterospecific aggregation on necromass: influence of temperature, group density and composition on fitness-related traits

Author(s) :

Komo, Larissa [Auteur]
Hedouin, Valery [Auteur]
Unité de Taphonomie Médico-Légale (UTML) - ULR 7367
CHARABIDZE, Damien [Auteur]
Unité de Taphonomie Médico-Légale (UTML) - EA 7367

Journal title :

Insect science

Abbreviated title :

Insect Sci.

Publication date :

2020-02-17

ISSN :

1744-7917

Keyword(s) :

life-history traits
mutualism
forensic entomology
carrion ecology
development rhythm
flies

HAL domain(s) :

Sciences du Vivant [q-bio]

English abstract : [en]

Necrophagous blowflies (Diptera: Calliphoridae) such as Calliphora vicina, a cold-tolerant species, and Lucilia sericata, a warm-adapted species, are pioneer carrion-breeder. Although these two species have different ...
Show more >Necrophagous blowflies (Diptera: Calliphoridae) such as Calliphora vicina, a cold-tolerant species, and Lucilia sericata, a warm-adapted species, are pioneer carrion-breeder. Although these two species have different temperature preferences, larvae aggregate actively and often feed simultaneously on carrion. The hypothesis to be tested was that L. sericata benefits from the association with C. vicina at lower temperatures (i.e., 15 °C) and that C. vicina derives greater benefits from this association at higher temperatures (i.e., 28 °C). Therefore, both species were raised at these two constant temperatures from first instars to adults under three different conditions: monospecific low-density, monospecific high-density, and heterospecific high-density. The time until larval migration, surface area of puparia, and survival rates were determined for each condition. Differences between these fitness-related traits were found between species, temperatures, group densities, and species compositions. At 28 °C, C. vicina larvae bred in heterospecific groups migrated significantly earlier and in higher numbers than that under same density conspecific conditions, with a lower mortality rate. At 15 °C, both species benefited from high-density heterospecific associations, expressed by faster development and larger puparia. In conclusion, necrophagous larvae benefited from heterospecific aggregations at suboptimal temperatures by adapting their migration time to that of the faster species. Since temperature changes throughout the day and over the year, the beneficiary of such a collective association also changes. The costs involved and deviations to the temperature-size rule highlight the complexity of the carrion ecosystem.Show less >

Language :

Anglais

Audience :

Internationale

Popular science :

Non

Administrative institution(s) :

CHU Lille
CNRS
Université de Lille

Collections :

• Centre d'Histoire Judiciaire (CHJ) - UMR 8025
• Unité de Taphonomie Médico-Légale (UTML) - ULR 7367

Research team(s) :

ULR 7367

Submission date :

2022-08-31T13:17:19Z