The immature stages of three carrion breeding blowflies (Diptera: Calliphoridae) in south eastern Nigeria

Abstract

Three calliphorid flies, Chrysomya chloropyga (Wiedemann), C. albiceps (Wiedemann), and Hemipyrellia fernandica (Macquart) which breed in animal carcasses in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, were reared in the laboratory on beef. Each fly was reared through three generations. Their developmental rates were recorded as well as the morphological descriptions of each immature stage. C. chloropyga and H. fernandica had been studied before, while C. albiceps was studied for the first time in this area. Mean developmental periods of C. chloropyga, H. fernandica, and C. albiceps from eggs to adults were 8.1 ± 0.8 day, 15.1 ± 0.9 day, and 9.0 ± 0.3 day, respectively at 26° C – 29°C. Keys to eggs and larval instars are provided.

Key words: Calliphorids, eggs, larvae, pupae