Temperature requirements of Chrysomya albiceps (Wiedemann, 1819) (Diptera, Calliphoridae) under laboratory conditions

Abstract

Chrysomya albiceps specimens were obtained from colonies established with larvae and adults collected at the Federal Rural University in Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, State of Rio de Janeiro. The larval stage of C. albiceps was allowed to develop in climatic chambers at temperatures of 18, 22, 27 and 32°C, and the pupal stage was allowed to develop at 22, 27 and 32°C (60 ± 10% RH and 14 hr photoperiod). The duration and viability of the larval stage of C. albiceps at 18, 22, 27 and 32°C were 21.30, 10.61, 5.0 and 4.0 days and 76.5, 88.5, 98.5 and 99.5%, respectively, with mean mature larval weights of 45.16, 81.86, 84.35 and 70.53 mg, respectively. Mean duration and viability of the pupal stage at 22, 27 and 32°C were 9.36, 4.7 and 3.0 days and 93.8, 100 and 100%, respectively. The basal temperature for the larval and pupal stage and for the larval and adult phase were 15.04, 17.39 and 15.38°C, corresponding to 65.67, 44.15 and 114.23 DD.