The phylogeny and evolution of blow flies (Diptera: Calliphoridae) from the perspective of mitogenomics.

backgroundCalliphoridae (Diptera: Calyptratae), known as blow flies, are widespread insects of great veterinary, ecological, and forensic importance. Among the most familiar insects to humans, however, the classification and taxonomic composition have long been controversial. With nearly twenty proposed subfamilies, the monophyly of calliphorids has never been reached, until the latest phylogenomic study which redefined the Calliphoridae.

resultsWith the mitochondrial genomes of seven Calliphoridae species analyzed for the first time using a comparative mitogenomics approach, this study investigates the phylogenetic relationships and evolutionary history within the family. Data from five subfamilies are documented here for the first time. The results strongly support the monophyly of both the Calliphoridae family and its subfamilies, with the subfamily-level relationships largely consistent with those found in previous phylogenomic study. The ancestral larval feeding habit of Calliphoridae is recovered as sarcosarprophagy, and the carrion breeding habit characteristic of typical blow flies (Calliphorinae, Chrysomyinae, and Luciliinae) is shown to have arisen independently twice.

conclusionsThis study provides the mitogenomic phylogeny of calliphorids with the most comprehensive taxon sampling to date, thereby advancing our understanding of the evolutionary history of calyptrates and providing valuable contributions to the fields of veterinary, ecology, forensics, and entomology.