Environmental and evolutionary factors favouring the coexistence of sarcosaprophagous Calliphoridae species competing for animal necromass

• Published in: Ecological entomology Vol. 46; no. 6; pp. 1293 - 1300
• Main Authors: Boudreau, Denis R., Hammami, Nada, Moreau, Gaétan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01-12-2021; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Abiotic factors; Blow flies; Calliphoridae; canonical space; Carrion; Centroids; Coexistence; competitive coexistence; Crime; ecological niche; Ecological niches; Forensic science; forensic species; Insects; Niches; Species
• ISSN: 0307-6946; 1365-2311
• DOI: 10.1111/een.13076

1. Sarcosaprophagous flies from the Calliphoridae family provide clues about the circumstances of death in criminal investigations, and apparently occupy the same ecological niche because they depend on the same ephemeral resource, namely, carrion.
2. An empirical study was conducted in southeastern New Brunswick, Canada to identify differences in Hutchinsonian hypervolume/ecological niche that allow for competitive coexistence of calliphorid species. To do this, calliphorids were trapped for a calendar year in urban, periurban, and forest habitats.
3. About 20 576 calliphorid specimens distributed among 14 different species were collected. The composition of species assemblages changed with seasons, abiotic factors, habitats, and was related to the evolutionary history of species. Each species had a distinct centroid when their response to study variables was illustrated in canonical space, thus suggesting that their ecological niches differed.
4. Examining the Hutchinsonian hypervolumes of these forensically important insects is critical because it expands our knowledge of the factors regulating the activity of calliphorid species, thereby increasing our ability to use these insects in forensic investigations.
Sarcosaprophagous Calliphoridae species provide clues about the circumstances of death in criminal investigations but apparently occupy the same Hutchinsonian hypervolume because they rapidly colonise available cadavers and carcasses.
Sympatric Calliphoridae were recovered in urban, periurban, and forest sites for 1 year. When species response to study variables was illustrated in canonical space, each species exhibited a distinct centroid.
Our finding suggests that sympatric Calliphoridae have their own Hutchinsonian hypervolumes to allow for competitive coexistence and that their response to environmental factors is rooted in their evolutionary history.