Potential of Sepedon ruficeps Becker (Diptera: Sciomyzidae) larvae for biological control of intermediate snail hosts of schistosomiasis in Benin (West Africa)

Abstract

Sciomyzids (Diptera) are malacophagous flies which have potential to be used as biological control agents of gastropod vectors of parasitic diseases. Sepedon ruficeps was previously identified as a potential biocontrol agent easy breeding and plastic enough to develop in different habitats. In this study, we investigated firstly the influence of prey (larval stage, species, size and parasitic status) and secondly the sex-ratio (number consumed, metamorphosis stage duration, length and width of pupa) on the predation activity of larvae along the complete larval development of S. ruficeps. The capacity of S. ruficeps was confirmed in the current study to be an effective predator of Bulinus globosus and, moreover, the role it can play in controlling Biomphalaria pfeifferi and Bulinus globosus was highlighted, a worldwide gastropod acting as intermediate host for many pathogen trematodes. B. pfeifferi was significantly more killed than B. globosus snail’s species used in the trial and the parasitized specimens were more attacked than healthy ones. The prey consumption influences the sex-ratio, metamorphosis stage duration, length and width of pupa in a laboratory environment.