Diptera of Medico-Legal Importance Associated With Pig Carrion in a Tropical Dry Forest

The diversity of necrophagous Diptera is largely unknown in seasonally dry tropical forests, despite their medical, veterinary, and forensic relevance. We performed a study in the dry Caatinga forest exclusive to Brazil in order to assess the diversity and temporal pattern of Diptera species using p...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of medical entomology 2016-09, Vol.53 (5), p.1131-1139
Main Authors: Vasconcelos, S. D., Salgado, R. L., Barbosa, T. M., Souza, J. R. B.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Abundance
Adults
blow fly
caatinga
Calliphoridae
Carcasses
Carrion
Cochliomyia macellaria
Diptera
DIRECT INJURY, MYIASIS, FORENSICS
Dominant species
Dry forests
Environmental conditions
Forensic science
Indigenous species
Muscidae
Sarcophagidae
Species diversity
Substrates
Tropical forests
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Summary:The diversity of necrophagous Diptera is largely unknown in seasonally dry tropical forests, despite their medical, veterinary, and forensic relevance. We performed a study in the dry Caatinga forest exclusive to Brazil in order to assess the diversity and temporal pattern of Diptera species using pig carcasses as substrates. Adults were collected daily until complete skeletonization. We collected 17,142 adults from 18 families, 10 of which comprise species with known necrophagous habits. The most abundant families were Calliphoridae (47.3% of specimens), Sarcophagidae (20.8%), and Muscidae (15.5%), whereas Sarcophagidae stood out in terms of richness with 21 species. The native Cochliomyia macellaria (F.) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) and the invasive Chrysomya albiceps (Wiedmann) (Calliphoridae) were the dominant species. A total of 18 species reached the carcass during the first 48 h postdeath. The bloated and active decay stages had the highest richness and abundance of dipterans. From a forensic standpoint, C. macellaria and C. albiceps are likely to aid in establishing postmortem interval due to their early arrival and high abundance on the carcass. Despite harsh environmental conditions, the Caatinga harbors a rich assemblage of dipterans that play a key role in carrion decomposition. Their medico-veterinary importance is strengthened by the poor local sanitary conditions.
ISSN:0022-2585
0022-2858
1938-2928
DOI:10.1093/jme/tjw093