Effect of carcass model on maggot distribution and thermal generation of two forensically important blowfly species, Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius) and Chrysomya rufifacies (Macquart)

• Main Authors: Ahmad, A (Author), Omar, B (Author)
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: 2018
• Subjects: Aggregation; Carcass; CARRION; Chrysomya megacephala; Chrysomya rufifacies; DECOMPOSITION; DIPTERA CALLIPHORIDAE; FLIES; LARVAL AGGREGATIONS; Maggot mass; Postmortem Interval; SARCOPHAGIDAE; SUCCESSION; TEMPERATURE
• Online Access: View Fulltext in Publisher

 Background: At feeding stage, blowfly larvae (Diptera: Calliphoridae) form aggregation to facilitate the breakdown of a human body after death. The aggregation structure of blowfly larvae could probably be different depending on fly species and food size. In forensic investigations, corpse size does not only affect the internal temperature after death, but it could also potentially influence the distribution, aggregation temperature, and species of flies that inhabit a corpse. However, there is no reference available to explain how these factors could affect maggot distribution pattern and thermal generation. The best way to answer this is by accessing blowfly aggregation on multiple forensic entomology animal models of different sizes. Thus, this research is a preliminary assessment to determine maggot aggregation structure and its thermal generation in three carcass species which are commonly used as a surrogate for human corpses in Malaysia.