Spatial distribution and habitat preference of sarcosaprophagus Calliphoridae (Diptera) in the Brazilian Northeast, with notes on the utilization of different animal baits
Ecological modeling study reveals wide distribution of invasive blowflies in northeastern Brazil, indicating potential competitive threats to native insect communities.
Key Points
To determine the current and potential geographic distribution of forensically relevant Calliphoridae fly species across diverse biomes in northeastern Brazil.
Compiled species occurrence records from systematic field sampling and published literature across northeastern Brazil.
Developed ecological niche models using the MaxEnt algorithm to predict species habitat suitability based on bioclimatic and environmental variables.
Exotic blowfly species Chrysomya albiceps and Chrysomya megacephala demonstrated the broadest potential distributions across all northeastern habitats, whereas native species exhibited restricted ranges, with the exception of Cochliomyia macellaria.
Precipitation and wind were the primary environmental variables dictating habitat suitability models across the analyzed species.
Extensive spatial overlap was identified between invasive and native Calliphoridae species, indicating high risk for interspecific competition and ecological homogenization.