Data from: Origins and diversification of Myasis across blowflies

Parasitism represents a prevalent and successful ecological strategy that
has evolved independently numerous times across metazoa. Understanding the
origin and diversification of parasitism is a central question in
evolutionary biology. This study investigated the evolutionary path
leading to a specific form of parasitism in blowflies known as myiasis,
where larvae develop on or within a vertebrate. We modeled
myiasis-associated traits, including trophic specialization (obligatory
parasitism, facultative parasitism and saprophagy), larval food substrate
(necrotic, fresh or both) and developmental temperature (constant,
variable or both), across the blowfly phylogeny. Our results suggested
that the ancestral state of blowflies likely encompassed saprophagy or
facultative parasitism, with larvae developing in corpses or necrotic
tissues from wounds in either homeothermic or heterothermic hosts.
Furthermore, our analysis highlights the role of facultative parasitism as
an intermediate step for obligate parasitism in blowflies, indicating that
pre-adaptations for a facultative parasitic lifestyle may serve as
stepping stones for emerging obligate parasitism. These findings shed
light on the complex evolutionary history of blowfly vertebrate
parasitism, emphasizing the importance of facultative parasitism as a
critical transitional stage in this evolutionary process.