Survival analysis and estimation of entropy of Sarconesia chlorogaster (Wiedemann) (Diptera, Calliphoridae)

Abstract

The life expectancy of Sarconesia chlorogaster (Wiedemann, 1830) reared in artificial diet and controlled temperatures chamber set at 27±1oC, 70±10% RH and 12 hours of photophase was analysed using entropy (H). Entropy (H) was used to quantify the distribuition of deaths between ages and then quantify the impact of mortality on life expectancy. The entropy values obtained for males (H=0,245) and females (H=0,299) were intermediary between the theoretical values of H=0,5 and H=0 suggesting a tendency toward rectangular distribuitions in both sexes. The effect of mortality across ali ages on expectation of life was different at each age. For males the highest values were found between days 10 and 20 and between days 15 and 25 for females. This íindings imply that small changes in female mortality will have a greater impact on female life expectancy than will have on male expectation of life.

Diptera; Calliphoridae; Sarconesia chlorogaster; entropy; life expectation; survivorship curves