Sarcophaga crassipalpis

{{Short description|Species of fly}}

{{Speciesbox

| genus = Sarcophaga

| species = crassipalpis

| authority = Macquart, 1839{{ITIS |id=152063 |taxon=Sarcophaga crassipalpis}}

}}

Sarcophaga crassipalpis is a species of flesh flies (insects in the family Sarcophagidae.

It is a common laboratory animal used in the study of gene expression and the study of diapause in insects.{{cite journal |doi=10.1073/pnas.95.10.5616 |journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences |volume=95 |pages=5616–5620 |year=1998 |title=Diapause-specific gene expression in pupae of the flesh fly Sarcophaga crassipalpis |author=Roland F. Flannagan |author2=Steven P. Tammariello |author3=Karl H. Joplin|author4=Rebecca A. Cikra-Ireland |author5=George D. Yokum |author6=David L. Denlinger |name-list-style=amp |issue=10|pmc=20427 |pmid=9576932|bibcode=1998PNAS...95.5616F |doi-access=free }}

Sarcophaga crassipalpis conforms to the basic bilateral symmetry body plan for arthropods and insects by possessing jointed-appendages, a sclerotized external cuticle, and an internal muscular system that functions as levers for movement.{{cite book |title=On the origin of phyla |author=James W. Valentine |publisher=University of Chicago Press |year=2004 |isbn=0-226-84548-6 |pages=614 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DMBkmHm5fe4C}}

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.{{Cite web|url=http://www.everythingabout.net/articles/biology/animals/arthropods/insects/flies/|title=Flies: Pictures, information, classification and more}}

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.http://www.flycontrol.novartis.com/species/en/index.shtml Fly Control in livestock and Poultry, 12/27/2009

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.{{Cite journal |last=Denlinger |first=David L. |date=1972 |title=Induction and Termination of Pupal Diapause in Sarcophaga (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/1540242 |journal=Biological Bulletin |volume=142 |issue=1 |pages=11–24 |doi=10.2307/1540242 |issn=0006-3185}} 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.{{cite book |title=The Insects; Structure and Function |edition=4th |author=R. F. Chapman |publisher=Cambridge University Press |year=1998 |isbn=0-521-57048-4 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/insectsstructure0000chap/page/404 404] |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/insectsstructure0000chap/page/404 }} 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.{{cite news |title=Total recoil: Survival of the primmest |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/mind/articles/emotions/disgust.shtml |access-date=December 23, 2009 |publisher=BBC}} Pesticides have been designed to interfere with the normal development, killing only larva.{{Cite web |url=http://www.flycontrol.novartis.com/species/en/index.shtml |title=Fly Control in Confined Livestock and Poultry Production - Novartis Animal Health Inc |access-date=2009-12-27 |archive-date=2010-01-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100110121410/http://www.flycontrol.novartis.com/species/en/index.shtml |url-status=dead }}