1.A Bionomic Study of Hymenopteran Parasitoids at the Taman Beringin Landfill in Kepong and a Poultry Farm in Sungai Pelek, Selangor, Malaysia
Baharudin Omar ; Raja M. Zuha Raja Kamal ; Daniel Goh Chuan Lee ; Wan Omar Abdullah ; John Jeffery
Malaysian Journal of Health Sciences 2008;6(2):15-21
A four-month cross-sectional study found five species of parasitoids parasitizing puparia of filth flies breeding at the Taman Beringin landfill in Kepong and a
poultry farm in Sungai Pelek, Sepang, Selangor. Effect of monthly rainfalls towards density of flies and percentage of parasitoids emerging from collected
puparia were also analyzed. Spalangia sp. was the most common, consisting of Spalangia endius Walker, S. cameroni Perkins and S. gemina Boucek. Other parasitoids collected were Pachycrepoideus vindemmiae Rondani and
Exoristobia phillipinensis Ashmead. The parasitized fly hosts were Musca domestica Linn. and Chrysomya megacephala Fabricius. S. endius was the most common parasitoid attacking M. domestica at both locations. M. domestica
was the most common fly found at the Sg. Pelek poultry farm whereas C. megacephala was the most numerous at the Taman Beringin landfill. During heavy rainfall month of November 2003, density of flies were high whereas the
emerging parasitoids were low at both landfill and poultry farm. The present study revealed the endemic presence of parasitoids especially S. endius in both poultry farm and garbage landfill and the potential of the parasitoid species in fly control in Malaysia.
2.Descriptions of the Larval Instars of Chrysomya rufifacies (Macquart) (Diptera: Calliphoridae), a Species of Forensic Importance in Malaysia
Raja M. Zuha Raja Kamal ; Mohamed Abdullah Marwi ; John Jeffery ; Ahmad Firdaus Mohd. Salleh ; Wan Omar Abdullah ; Baharuddin Omar
Malaysian Journal of Health Sciences 2008;6(2):35-41
The anatomical structures of the first, second and third instars of Chrysomya rufifacies (Macquart) were examined by light microscopy. Observations were
documented on the three main characteristics; the cephalopharyngeal skeleton, anterior spiracle and posterior spiracle. The first instar larva bore cornuae of
fairly pigmented delineation with slim hypostomal sclerite and distinct dental sclerite. First instar did not have obscured anterior spiracle but posterior
spiracles were obscured with thin lining of opened peritreme. Intersegmental spines were evident. The second instar larva displayed a prominent anterodorsal
process approaching closer to hypostomal sclerite while upper margin of the dorsal cornua was slightly pigmented. Each anterior spiracle consisted of
nine to ten papillae, arranged in a single row. Peritreme of the posterior spiracle thick, opening at the end of peritreme was not wide and confined to
two spiracular slits. The third instar larva showed a prominent arch of the ventral cornua with broad and bold appearance. It approached the dorsal
cornua and became narrow at the incision median. The anterior spiracle consisted of a single row of nine to ten papillae while intersegmental spine
could be identified with one to three dark pigmented tips. A dark pigmented and wide periterime was observed confining three short and thick spiracular
slits while button was poorly pigmented. The most distinctive feature of this second and third instar larva was the slender, thorn-like tubercle with numerous
spined tips on the middle line segment of the body. These findings provide identification features of C. rufifacies larvae instars.