Sarcophaga crassipalpis
Encyclopedia
The flesh fly Sarcophaga crassipalpis is a common laboratory animal used in the study of gene expression
and the study of diapause
in insect
s.
Sarcophaga crassipalpis conforms to the basic bilateral symmetry body plan for arthropod
s and insect
s by possessing jointed-appendages, a sclerotized external cuticle, and a internal muscular system that functions as lever
s for movement.
The six legs possess a tarsus, or foot, with a pair of claws for gripping rough surfaces. Beneath the claws is a fleshy, glandular adhesive pad called a pulvillus, which is used on smooth surfaces.
Sarcophaga crassipalpis is an insect in the order Diptera, meaning “two-winged”. As with other flies, S. crassipalpis has one pair of wings used for flying. Posterior to the wings is a small pair of knob-like structures (called halteres), which function as organs of balance.
Like other dipterans
, S. crassipalpis reproduces utilizing complete metamorphosis, i.e. the life cycle consists of the following stages: egg, larva
(called a maggot), pupa
, and adult.
Most notably, S. crassipalpis will enter diapause
under very specific environmental stimuli. Photoperiod exposure received by embryos in the uterus is one factor in initiating diapause
. It is sensitive to specific environmental stimuli in its early larval stage and then enters diapause
as a pupa. Sarcophaga crassipalpis enters an overwintering pupal diapause
in response to cues of a short day-length received during late embryonic and early larval life. Diapause
in S. crassipalpis is not a complete cessation of gene
expression. It is a separate developmental pathway that is expressed by another set of genes
. It lays its eggs in open flesh wounds, typically the wounds of livestock. Pesticides have been designed to interfere with the normal development, killing only larva.
Gene expression
Gene expression is the process by which information from a gene is used in the synthesis of a functional gene product. These products are often proteins, but in non-protein coding genes such as ribosomal RNA , transfer RNA or small nuclear RNA genes, the product is a functional RNA...
and the study of diapause
Diapause
Diapause is the delay in development in response to regularly and recurring periods of adverse environmental conditions. It is considered to be a physiological state of dormancy with very specific initiating and inhibiting conditions...
in insect
Insect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
s.
Sarcophaga crassipalpis conforms to the basic bilateral symmetry body plan for arthropod
Arthropod
An arthropod is an invertebrate animal having an exoskeleton , a segmented body, and jointed appendages. Arthropods are members of the phylum Arthropoda , and include the insects, arachnids, crustaceans, and others...
s and insect
Insect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
s by possessing jointed-appendages, a sclerotized external cuticle, and a internal muscular system that functions as lever
Lever
In physics, a lever is a rigid object that is used with an appropriate fulcrum or pivot point to either multiply the mechanical force that can be applied to another object or resistance force , or multiply the distance and speed at which the opposite end of the rigid object travels.This leverage...
s for movement.
The six legs possess a tarsus, or foot, with a pair of claws for gripping rough surfaces. Beneath the claws is a fleshy, glandular adhesive pad called a pulvillus, which is used on smooth surfaces.
Sarcophaga crassipalpis is an insect in the order Diptera, meaning “two-winged”. As with other flies, S. crassipalpis has one pair of wings used for flying. Posterior to the wings is a small pair of knob-like structures (called halteres), which function as organs of balance.
Like other dipterans
Fly
True flies are insects of the order Diptera . They possess a pair of wings on the mesothorax and a pair of halteres, derived from the hind wings, on the metathorax...
, S. crassipalpis reproduces utilizing complete metamorphosis, i.e. the life cycle consists of the following stages: egg, larva
Larva
A larva is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle...
(called a maggot), pupa
Pupa
A pupa is the life stage of some insects undergoing transformation. The pupal stage is found only in holometabolous insects, those that undergo a complete metamorphosis, going through four life stages; embryo, larva, pupa and imago...
, and adult.
Most notably, S. crassipalpis will enter diapause
Diapause
Diapause is the delay in development in response to regularly and recurring periods of adverse environmental conditions. It is considered to be a physiological state of dormancy with very specific initiating and inhibiting conditions...
under very specific environmental stimuli. Photoperiod exposure received by embryos in the uterus is one factor in initiating diapause
Diapause
Diapause is the delay in development in response to regularly and recurring periods of adverse environmental conditions. It is considered to be a physiological state of dormancy with very specific initiating and inhibiting conditions...
. It is sensitive to specific environmental stimuli in its early larval stage and then enters diapause
Diapause
Diapause is the delay in development in response to regularly and recurring periods of adverse environmental conditions. It is considered to be a physiological state of dormancy with very specific initiating and inhibiting conditions...
as a pupa. Sarcophaga crassipalpis enters an overwintering pupal diapause
Diapause
Diapause is the delay in development in response to regularly and recurring periods of adverse environmental conditions. It is considered to be a physiological state of dormancy with very specific initiating and inhibiting conditions...
in response to cues of a short day-length received during late embryonic and early larval life. Diapause
Diapause
Diapause is the delay in development in response to regularly and recurring periods of adverse environmental conditions. It is considered to be a physiological state of dormancy with very specific initiating and inhibiting conditions...
in S. crassipalpis is not a complete cessation of gene
Gene
A gene is a molecular unit of heredity of a living organism. It is a name given to some stretches of DNA and RNA that code for a type of protein or for an RNA chain that has a function in the organism. Living beings depend on genes, as they specify all proteins and functional RNA chains...
expression. It is a separate developmental pathway that is expressed by another set of genes
Gênes
Gênes is the name of a département of the First French Empire in present Italy, named after the city of Genoa. It was formed in 1805, when Napoleon Bonaparte occupied the Republic of Genoa. Its capital was Genoa, and it was divided in the arrondissements of Genoa, Bobbio, Novi Ligure, Tortona and...
. It lays its eggs in open flesh wounds, typically the wounds of livestock. Pesticides have been designed to interfere with the normal development, killing only larva.
External links
- Sarcophaga crassipalpis on the UF / IFASInstitute of Food and Agricultural SciencesThe University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is a federal-state-county partnership dedicated to developing knowledge in agriculture, human and natural resources, and the life sciences, and enhancing and sustaining the quality of human life by making that information...
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