New habitat for Trichopria sp. (Hymenoptera: Diapriidae) in Brazil

T his study reports new habitat for T richopria sp. (Hymenoptera: Diapriidae) found in buffalos dung in Itumbiara, Goiás, Brazil. Manure samples, collected at two weeks intervals, were taken to the laboratory and the pupae were extracted by water flotation. Each pupa was placed in capsules of colorless gelatin until the emergence of flies or their parasitoids. T he parasitism prevalence was 1.4%. KEY-WORDS: Diptera, Hymenoptera, buffalo dung, first occurrence, new habitat. Source: Revista Arquivos do Instituto Biológico 2004. Instituto Biológico de São Paulo. Introduction Some species of flies included in the order Diptera are of fundamental medical and veterinary importance, since they can produce myiasis and act on the transmission of pathogens to humans and animals (CHOW, 1940; GREENBERG, 1971). T hey have been found carrying more than 100 species of disease-causing organisms such as bacteria, protozoa and helminths (GREENBERG, 1971). T his association is due to these insects being exploiters of organic substances and residues produced by human and animal activity, especially feces and vegetal residues (MONT EIRO, 1995). Chemical control of insects in urban and rural environment is complicate due to the danger of contamination of man, animals and environment. T herefore, the biological control of parasitoid flies meets the search for alternatives to the problem, as it is a safe method, easy to handle and low cost (ALESSANDRA et al., 2003). Qeios, CC-BY 4.0 · Article, January 4, 2020 Qeios ID: 58LE4P · https://doi.org/10.32388/58LE4P 1/4 According to ASKEW (1971), Diapriidae are mainly gregarious endoparasitoids of Diptera pupae, but in this study, T richopria sp. presents as a solitary parasitoid. T richopria species are usually immature parasitoids of Diptera (LEGNER et al., 1976). T richopria sp. it is cited in the literature as an important parasitoid of Sarcophagidae, Sepsidae, Muscidae and Calliphoridae (FIGG et al., 1983; BLUME, 1984). DE SANT IS (1980) cites 11 species of T richopria in Brazil found in the states of Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Pará and the Federal District. MARCHIORI et al. (2000a) found T richopria sp. in Minas Gerais and Goiás, with this, the knowledge of the geographic distribution of this species to Brazil was expanded. T he objective of the study is to report a new habitat for T richopria sp. in Brazil. Material and Methods Every fortnight, 10 plates of fecal cake (of approximately 3 kg each) were produced from fresh buffalo feces that were collected immediately after defecation in pastures of Brachiaria brizantha (Hochst ex. A. Rich) and in corrals. T he material was collected in plastic buckets and was homogenized. It was then placed in 10 round plastic supports of 20 cm in diameter, with a hole to allow rainwater to drain away. T his methodology was used for precise determination of the time between the emission of the fecal cake and its collection. T he feces remained exposed (five in the pastures and five in the corrals) for 15 days. After this period, the feces were taken to the laboratory for extraction of pupae by means of the flotation method. T he pupae were removed with the aid of a sieve; they were counted and individually stored in gelatin capsules (number 00) until the flies and/or parasitoids emerged. T he parasitoids and flies that emerged were identified with the aid of a stereoscopic microscope and were conserved in 70% alcohol. T he percentage parasitism of each parasitoid species was calculated by means of the number of pupae parasitized by each parasitoid species divided by the total number of pupae of that host, and multiplied by 100. Results and Discussion Overall, from May to December 2003, 929 pupae of Sarcophagula occidua Fabricius (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) were obtained, from which 13 specimens of the Qeios, CC-BY 4.0 · Article, January 4, 2020 Qeios ID: 58LE4P · https://doi.org/10.32388/58LE4P 2/4 parasitoid T richopria sp. (Hymenoptera: Diapriidae). T he percentage of parasitism obtained was 1.4%, probably due to variations in the quality and availability of food resources or host densities. T his percentage of parasitism may also be showing higher specificity or affinity of the parasitoid T richopria sp. by pupae of S. occidua. T richopria sp., In Itumbiara-GO, Cachoeira Dourada-GO and Uberlândia-MG, was found parasitizing Brontaea quadristigma T honsom, (Diptera: Muscidae), Coproica sp. (Diptera: Sphaeroceridae), Haematobia irritans L. (Diptera: Muscidae), Palaeosepsis spp. (Diptera: Sepsidae) and S. occidua in cattle pasture (MARCHIORI & LINHARES, 1999; MARCHIORI et al., 2000a; MARCHIORI et al., 2000b; MARCHIORI et al., 2001; MARCHIORI, 2002; MARCHIORI et al. , 2002). T his study reports the first occurrence of T richopria sp. in buffalo droppings in Brazil. References Alessandra, R.C.; Mello, R.P.; D ́Almeida, J.M. Microhimenópteros parasitóides de Chrysomya megacephala. Rev. Saúde Pública, v.37, n.6, p.810-812, 2003. Askew, R.R. Parasitic Insects. London: Heineman Educational, Books, 1971. 316p. Blume, R.R. Parasites of Diptera associated with bovine droppings on a pasture in East Central T exas. Southw. Entomol., v.11, n.3, p.215-222, 1984. Chow, C.Y. T he commom blue bottle fly Chrysomya megacephala as a carrier of pathogenic bacteria in Peiping. China Chin. Med., v.57, p.145-153, 1940. De Santis, L. Catalago de los himenopteros brasilenõs de la série Parasitica incluyendo Bethyloidea. Curitiba, Editora da Universidade Federal do Paraná, 1980. 395p. Figg, D.E.; Hall, R.D.; T homas, G.D. Insect parasites associated with Diptera developing in bovine dung pats os Central Missouri pastures. Environ. Entomol., v.12, p.961-966, 1983. Greenberg, B. Flies and disease – ecology, classification and biotic association. New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1971. 447 p. Legner, E.F.; Moore, I.; Olton, G.S. T abular keys & Biological notes to common parasitoids of synanthropic Diptera breeding in accumulated animal wastes. Ent. News, v.87, n.3, 4, p.113-144, 1976. Marchiori, C.H.; Linhares, A.X. Dipteros muscóideos associados a fezes frescas de gado bovino e seus parasitóides. Braz. J. Ecol., n.1, p.26-31, 1999. Marchiori, C.H.; Oliveira, A.T .; Linhares, A.X. T richopria sp. (Hymenoptera: Diapriidae) parasitóides de Diptera muscoidea. Arq. Int. Biol., São Paulo, v.67, n.1, p.131-133, 2000a. Qeios, CC-BY 4.0 · Article, January 4, 2020 Qeios ID: 58LE4P · https://doi.org/10.32388/58LE4P 3/4 Marchiori, C.H.; T eixeira, F.F.; Silva, C.G.; Vieira, C.I.S. Parasitóides de Diptera associados com fezes de gado bovino coletadas em pastagens e currais. Arq. Inst. Biol., São Paulo, v.67, n.2, p.153-156, 2000b. Marchiori, C.H.; Oliveira, A.T .; Linhares, A.X. Artrópodes associados a massas fecais bovinas no Sul do Estado de Goiás. Neotrop. Entomol., v.30, p. 10-24, 2001. Marchiori, C.H. Microhimenópteros parasitóides de moscas em esterco bovino em Cachoeira Dourada, Goiás, Brasil. Entomol. Vect., v.9, n.3, p. 365:374, 2002. Marchiori, C.H.; Caldas, E.R.; Dias, K.G.S. Parasitóides de diptera em fezes bovinas em vários tempos de exposição em Itumbiara, Goiás, Brasil. Arq. Inst. Biol., São Paulo, v.69, p. 37-42, 2002. Monteiro, R.M. Microhimenópteros (Insecta: Hymenoptera) parasitóides e insetos predadores de moscas sinantrópicas (Insecta: Diptera) na granja Capuavinha, MonteMor, SP. São Paulo, 1995. 99p. [Dissertação (Mestrado) Universidade Estadual de Campinas UNICAMP]. Qeios, CC-BY 4.0 · Article, January 4, 2020 Qeios ID: 58LE4P · https://doi.org/10.32388/58LE4P 4/4


Introduction Introduction
Some species of flies included in the order Diptera are of fundamental medical and veterinary importance, since they can produce myiasis and act on the transmission of pathogens to humans and animals (CHOW, 1940;GREENBERG, 1971).
T hey have been found carrying more than 100 species of disease-causing organisms such as bacteria, protozoa and helminths (GREENBERG, 1971).
T his association is due to these insects being exploiters of organic substances and residues produced by human and animal activity, especially feces and vegetal residues (MONT EIRO, 1995).
Chemical control of insects in urban and rural environment is complicate due to the danger of contamination of man, animals and environment. T herefore, the biological control of parasitoid flies meets the search for alternatives to the problem, as it is a safe method, easy to handle and low cost (ALESSANDRA et al., 2003). Qeios, CC-BY 4.0 · Article, January 4, 2020 According to ASKEW (1971), Diapriidae are mainly gregarious endoparasitoids of Diptera pupae, but in this study, T richopria sp. presents as a solitary parasitoid. T richopria species are usually immature parasitoids of Diptera (LEGNER et al., 1976).
T richopria sp. it is cited in the literature as an important parasitoid of Sarcophagidae, Sepsidae, Muscidae and Calliphoridae (FIGG et al., 1983;BLUME, 1984). DE SANT IS (1980) cites 11 species of T richopria in Brazil found in the states of Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Pará and the Federal District. MARCHIORI et al. (2000a) found T richopria sp. in Minas Gerais and Goiás, with this, the knowledge of the geographic distribution of this species to Brazil was expanded. T he objective of the study is to report a new habitat for T richopria sp. in Brazil.

M aterial and M ethods M aterial and M ethods
Every fortnight, 10 plates of fecal cake (of approximately 3 kg each) were produced from fresh buffalo feces that were collected immediately after defecation in pastures of Brachiaria brizantha (Hochst ex. A. Rich) and in corrals. T he material was collected in plastic buckets and was homogenized. It was then placed in 10 round plastic supports of 20 cm in diameter, with a hole to allow rainwater to drain away. T his methodology was used for precise determination of the time between the emission of the fecal cake and its collection.
T he feces remained exposed (five in the pastures and five in the corrals) for 15 days.
After this period, the feces were taken to the laboratory for extraction of pupae by means of the flotation method. T he pupae were removed with the aid of a sieve; they were counted and individually stored in gelatin capsules (number 00) until the flies and/or parasitoids emerged. T he parasitoids and flies that emerged were identified with the aid of a stereoscopic microscope and were conserved in 70% alcohol.
T he percentage parasitism of each parasitoid species was calculated by means of the number of pupae parasitized by each parasitoid species divided by the total number of pupae of that host, and multiplied by 100. Sepsidae) and S. occidua in cattle pasture (MARCHIORI & LINHARES, 1999;MARCHIORI et al., 2000a;MARCHIORI et al., 2000b;MARCHIORI et al., 2001;MARCHIORI, 2002;MARCHIORI et al. , 2002).

Results and Discussion
T his study reports the first occurrence of T richopria sp. in buffalo droppings in Brazil.