New developmental data of Chrysomya megacephala (Diptera: Calliphoridae) in tropical temperatures and its implications in forensic entomology
https://doi.org/10.47665/tb.40.1.003
- Author:
Ivorra, T.
1
;
Khorri, S.M.
1
;
Rahimi, R.
2
,
3
;
Heo, C.C.
1
,
4
Author Information
1. Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Sungai Buloh campus, 47000 Sungai Buloh, Selangor, Malaysia&
2. Department of Forensic Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Sungai Buloh Campus, Selangor, Malaysia&
3. Department of Forensic Medicine, Hospital Sungai Buloh, Selangor, Malaysia
4. Institute of Pathology, Laboratory and Forensic Medicine (I-PPerForM), Universiti Teknologi MARA, Sungai Buloh campus, 47000 Sungai Buloh, Selangor, Malaysia
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Forensic entomology;
growth curves;
accumulated degree-days;
isomorphen diagram;
Chrysomya megacephala.
- From:Tropical Biomedicine
2023;40(No.1):1-6
- CountryMalaysia
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
The estimation of the postmortem interval (PMI) is an essential information in death investigations.
It is necessary to know the developmental data of the most important necrophagous insect species
in every geographical area. Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius, 1794) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) is one
of the most common species associated with human body decomposition, especially in the tropics,
so a precise knowledge of its life cycle is crucial. However, despite its ubiquity, developmental data
in a range of tropical temperatures is scarce. For this reason, the aim of this study is to provide the
developmental data of the blowfly, C. megacephala, in a range of tropical temperatures and to apply
these data in forensic entomology. Four temperatures were examined (i.e., 27.0°C 29.5°C, 32.0°C and
34.5°C) and the time of developments from egg to adult were recorded. To build the growth curves,
five larvae per day were measured with a digital caliper. Accumulated degree-days were calculated and
the isomorphen diagram for this species was plotted. As we predicted, the results showed that the life
cycle of this species was affected by the increasing temperature. The implications of these new data
for determining the minimum PMI in forensic entomology were discussed.
- Full text:8.2023my1382.pdf
