Calliphoridae

Reeves, Will K., Adler, Peter H., Grogan, William L. & Super, Paul E., 2004, Hematophagous and Parasitic Diptera (Insecta) in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, USA, Zootaxa 483, pp. 1-44 : 6-7

Family Calliphoridae

The larvae of most Calliphoridae develop in decaying carcasses or fecal matter; the degree of hematophagy varies from facultative to obligate. Only obligate parasites of vertebrates are listed below, although facultative parasites such as Cochliomyia macellaria (F.) and Lucilia illustris (Meigen) were collected in the Park. Although Rognes (1997) presents a strong argument against the monophyly of the Calliphoridae , we retain the family name in this treatment.

Two genera of parasitic Calliphoridae , Bufolucilia and Protocalliphora , were expected to occur in the Park. Based on historical records, the primary screwworm, Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel) , might have occurred in the Park prior to the local eradication of the species ( Brimley 1938). Bufolucilia species were not collected in the Park; however their hosts (frogs and toads) were not examined for these flies.

Five species of Protocalliphora , or bird blow flies, were collected in the Park. All known larval Protocalliphora are blood­feeding parasites of nestling birds ( Sabrosky et al. 1989; Whitworth 2002).

Protocalliphora aenea Shannon & Dobroscky

Collections: North Carolina, Haywood Co., Cataloochee (816 meters, 35.640ºN, 83.080ºW), 3 May 2002, puparia, ex eastern phoebe nest; Swain Co., Twentymile Creek ranger station (427 meters, 35.4697°N, 83.8712°W), 15 August 2002, puparia, ex eastern phoebe nest.

Protocalliphora aenea has a northern distribution and was not known previously from the Park ( Sabrosky et al. 1989). However, the high Appalachians are often refugia for northern species. The pteromalid Nasonia giraulti Darling & Werren parasitized puparia from the Twentymile Creek ranger station. Nestlings of the eastern phoebe at Cataloochee were not killed by P. aenea and fledged from the nest prior to collection of the puparia. All collections of P. a e n e a were from nests associated with human­built structures.

Protocalliphora bennetti Whitworth

Collection: Tennessee, Sevier Co., Twin Creeks (594 meters, 35.6848°N, 83.4990°W), 9 May 2002, puparia, ex eastern phoebe nest.

Protocalliphora bennetti was not known previously from the Park, and this collection represents a range extension. The species has been described from material removed from the nests of chickadees, wrens, and tree swallows from Virginia northwest to Alaska. The holotype was reared from a Carolina chickadee nest ( Whitworth 2002). The eastern phoebe is a new host.

Protocalliphora braueri (Handel)

Collections: North Carolina, Swain Co., Oconaluftee /Ravensford (617 meters, 35.5119°N, 83.3020°W), 7–13 April 2001, Malaise trap, 1 female, coll. B. Wiegmann & B.K. Cassel; 7 August 2002, puparia, ex barn swallow nest.

Protocalliphora braueri is the only species that regularly causes subcutaneous myiasis in nestling birds ( Sabrosky et al. 1989). Rognes (1985) considered P. braueri to represent a separate monotypic genus, Trypocalliphora , but Sabrosky et al. (1989) synonymized Trypocalliphora with Protocalliphora .

Protocalliphora deceptor Sabrosky, Bennett , & Whitworth Collections: Tennessee, Sevier Co., Twin Creeks, 24 June 1996, puparia, ex wood thrush nest, coll. G.W. Farnsworth.

Protocalliphora deceptor was reared from puparia; the specimens are in the Park museum.

Protocalliphora sialia Shannon & Dobroscky

Collections: North Carolina, Haywood Co., Purchase Knob (1550 meters, 35.585ºN, 83.063ºW), 23 July 2002, puparia, ex eastern bluebird nest; Swain Co., Smokemont sewage treatment building (670 meters, 35.553ºN, 83.309ºW), 22 August 2002, puparia, ex American robin nest.

Protocalliphora sialia was found at both low (670 meters) and high elevations (1500 meters) in the Park. Puparia of P. s i a l i a from Smokemont were parasitized by the pteromalid N. giraulti . The type host for N. giraulti probably was P. s i a l i a because the holotype was reared from an unidentified Protocalliphora pupa from a bluebird nest ( Darling & Werren, 1990).