Review of Sarcophagidae and Tachinidae (Diptera) Parasitic Flies Associated to Mocis latipes (Guenée, 1852) (Lepidoptera: Erebidae), with Novel Parasitism Records for Alagoas and Brazil.

Mocis latipes (Guenée, 1852) (Lepidoptera: Erebidae) is the main pest of graminaceous plants in the American Continent, especially in warm areas. Under normal conditions, M. latipes populations have their densities maintained at equilibrium by different natural enemies, including microorganisms (viruses, bacteria, and fungi), nematodes, insects, arachnids, birds, and mammals. In the megadiverse insect order Diptera, the families Tachinidae and Sarcophagidae are important natural enemies of various invertebrates, including pests, since several species parasitize insects and other arthropods. In the present work, we report the fly species Chetogena scutellaris (Wulp, 1890) (Tachinidae: Exoristinae: Exoristini); Atacta brasiliensis Schiner, 1868 (Tachinidae: Exoristinae: Goniini); and Peckia (Sarcodexia) lambens (Wiedemann, 1830) (Sarcophagidae: Sarcophaginae) parasitizing caterpillars of M. latipes collected on pasture, in Alagoas state, Northeast Brazil. This is the first record of C. scutellaris parasitizing M. latipes in Alagoas, the first report of the occurrence of P. (S.) lambens in Alagoas, and the first report of P. (S.) lambens parasitizing M. latipes in Brazil. Additionally, we reviewed the records of Tachinidae and Sarcophagidae parasitizing M. latipes, as well as all other hosts reported for them, and discussed the importance of parasitic flies for natural biological control of this and other lepidopteran pests in agrosystems, based on the distribution and host specificity of parasitic flies reported so far.