Browsing by Author "Keil McMahon, Clifford Bennett"

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    Larval performance and adult attraction of delia platura (Diptera: Anthomyiidae) in a native and an introduced crop
    (2017-02) Keil McMahon, Clifford Bennett; Keil McMahon, Clifford Bennett
    Delia platura Meigen is an important pest in crops around the world. Its host range includes almost 50 species, and it can develop in soil organic matter. In Ecuador, D. platura is a serious problem for the crop, Lupinus mutabilis Sweet (Chocho), and it also attacks broccoli (Brassica oleracea L.). After broccoli is harvested, crop residue is mixed with soil or collected and stored close to Chocho fields. The objectives of this study were to determine the adaptive responses of larvae reared on different hosts and whether D. platura females are preferentially attracted to germinating L. mutabilis seeds or broccoli residue. Accordingly, larval performance and attraction of female D. platura reared on broccoli residue and L. mutabilis seeds were evaluated. The number of larvae, pupae, and adults were higher when reared on broccoli. Conversely, pupal weight was higher and time from larva to pupa, pupa to adult, and total life cycle were longer in flies reared on L. mutabilis. Although D. platura developed more quickly on broccoli, L. mutabilis was also a good host since pupae were heavier compared with flies reared on broccoli. Delia platura females reared on broccoli preferred broccoli residue to L. mutabilis in an olfactometer. Volatiles from broccoli residue in soil may attract D. platura females and stimulate oviposition on L. mutabilis seeds. Environmentally benign production of L. mutabilis crops with minimal insecticide applications may require the elimination of fresh broccoli residue as fertilizer in soils where L. mutabilis is cultivated.
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    New species and host plants of Anastrepha (Diptera: Tephritidae) primarily from Suriname and Pará, Brazil
    (2021-09) Keil McMahon, Clifford Bennett; Keil McMahon, Clifford Bennett
    Seventeen new species of Anastrepha, primarily from Suriname, French Guiana and Pará, Brazil, are described and illustrated: A. aithogaster Norrbom from Brazil (Pará), French Guiana, and Suriname; A. aliesae Norrbom from Suriname; A. brownsbergiensis Norrbom from Suriname; A. crassaculeus Norrbom & Rodriguez Clavijo from Colombia (Magdalena, Norte de Santander) and Suriname; A. curvivenis Norrbom from Brazil (Amazonas), Ecuador (Zamora-Chinchipe), Peru (San Martín), and Suriname; A. fuscoalata Norrbom from Brazil (Pará), French Guiana, and Suriname; A. gangadini Norrbom from Suriname; A. juxtalanceola Norrbom from Brazil (Pará) and Suriname; A. microstrepha Norrbom from Brazil (Bahia) and Suriname; A. mitaraka Norrbom from French Guiana; A. neptis Norrbom from Brazil (Pará), Ecuador (Orellana), Peru (Loreto) and Suriname; A. sobrina Norrbom from Brazil (Pará), French Guiana, and Suriname; A. surinamensis Norrbom from Suriname; A. tenebrosa Norrbom from Brazil (Pará) and Peru (Loreto); A. triangularis Norrbom from Suriname; A. wachiperi Norrbom from French Guiana and Peru (Cusco); and A. wittiensis Norrbom from Suriname. The following host plant records are reported: A. aithogaster from fruit of Parahancornia fasciculata (Poir.) Benoist (Apocynaceae); A. aliesae from fruit of Passiflora coccinea Aubl. and P. glandulosa Cav. (Passifloraceae); A. crassaculeus from fruit of an undetermined species of Pouteria (Sapotaceae); A. fuscoalata from fruit of Trymatococcus oligandrus (Benoist) Lanj. (Moraceae); A. sobrina from fruit of Eugenia lambertiana DC. (Myrtaceae); and A. wittiensis from fruit of Manilkara bidentata (A. DC.) A. Chev. (Sapotaceae).
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    Research needs for forensic entomology in Ecuador
    (2015) Keil McMahon, Clifford Bennett; Keil McMahon, Clifford Bennett
    Research needs to establish forensic entomology as an important technique to add in crime scene investigation in Ecuador are presented. Because Ecuador is a tropical megabiodiverse country with significant variation in habitat throughout the country, the first step is an inventory of insects with potential importance in medicolegal investigations. These investigations must be conducted in a variety of habitats, sub-habitats and times of year. The cooperation of the police to determine sites where cadavers are frequently found will be essential in setting priorities for these studies. This should be followed with experimental studies using pig carcasses in controlled field situations to document the continuum of insect infestation of cadavers. This can be supplemented detailed observation of actual crime scenes with the cooperation of the police and prosecutors. These studies will need to be supported with controlled laboratory experiments with the principal insect species identified during the inventory to determine growth rates under defined temperature conditions. These experiments are crucial to develop a database to determine postmortem interval in the investigations of crime scenes. After this basic data has been obtained, it will be possible to refine these studies with laboratory and field experiments that investigate the effect of different wound types, presence or absence of clothing, location of cadavers inside structures or outside and the impact of recreational drugs on fly larvae development. The development of forensic entomology in Ecuador should be viewed as a continuing collaboration between scientists, crime scene investigators, police, prosecutors, the judiciary and the legal community. Forensic entomology has the potential to significantly assist the investigation of crimes and prosecution of criminals in Ecuador.