Effects of environmental temperature on oviposition behavior in three blow fly species of forensic importance

Abstract

A number of factors are known to affect blow fly behavior with respect to oviposition. Current research indicates that temperature is the most significant factor. However temperature thresholds for oviposition in forensically important blow flies have not been well studied. Here, the oviposition behavior of three species of forensically important blow fly species (Calliphora vicina, Calliphora vomitoria and Lucilia sericata,) was studied under controlled laboratory conditions over a range of temperatures (10-40°C). Lower temperature thresholds for oviposition of 16°C and 17.5°C were established for C. vomitoria and L. sericata respectively, whilst C. vicina continued to lay eggs at 10°C. C. vomitoria and L. sericata both continued to lay eggs at 40°C, whilst the highest temperature at which oviposition occurred in C. vicina was 35°C. Within these thresholds there was considerable variation in the number of surviving pupae, with a general pattern of a single peak within the range of temperatures at which eggs were laid, but with the pattern being much less distinct for L. sericata.

The upper thermal tolerance for a Texas population of the hairy maggot blow fly Chrysomya rufifacies Macquart (Diptera: Calliphoridae)

“…In medicolegal cases of forensic entomology, such as death investigations, forensic entomologists take advantage of the fact that C. rufifacies colonise corpses and their offspring develop at predictable temperature-dependent rates (Baumgartner, 1993;Byrd & Butler, 1997;Flores et al, 2014). These temperature-dependent development rates are used to estimate the time of colonization (Greenberg, 1991;Catts & Goff, 1992;Amendt et al, 2007), which can be inferred as a minimum postmortem interval (i.e., time since death) given certain assumptions (Catts, 1992;Anderson, 2001;Tomberlin et al, 2011a;Tomberlin et al, 2011b;George et al, 2013;Ody et al, 2017;Tarone & Sanford, 2017). However, a consequence of C. rufifacies colonizing decomposing flesh is they also come into contact with pathogens and serve as mechanical vectors for pathogen transmission, which may contribute to the spread of disease (Greenberg, 1965;Norris, 1965;Tomberlin et al, 2017).…”

“…While there are many negatives associated with the North American invasion of C. rufifacies, forensic entomologists take advantage of its presence. Chrysomya rufifacies colonises decomposing flesh, and are thus regularly used in death investigations to estimate forensically important timelines, such as time of colonization (Greenberg, 1991;Catts & Goff, 1992;Amendt et al, 2007), which can be inferred as a minimum postmortem interval (i.e., time since death) when certain assumptions are met (Catts, 1992;Anderson, 2001;Tomberlin et al, 2011a;Tomberlin et al, 2011b;George et al, 2013;Ody et al, 2017;Tarone & Sanford, 2017). Furthermore, the predatory nature of C. rufifacies larvae reduces the effects of corpse depletion as they can also prey upon competitors or even become cannibalistic when food resources are depleted (Fuller, 1934;Baumgartner, 1993).…”

Succession pattern of invertebrates on an unburied corpse of a cat suffering from cancer: A case study

“…Therefore, it is essential to examine thoroughly necrophagous fauna and the pattern of succession of insects in particular geographical regions and under particular climatic conditions (11,31,40,43,46,47,51).…”

Pola Kedatangan Serangga pada Jasad Hewan Sebagai Indikator dalam Kegiatan Forensik (INSECT ARRIVAL PATTERN ON CARRION AS AN INDICATOR OF FORENSIC ACTIVITIES)

“…Perkembangan larva lalat C. megacephala optimum pada suhu 33 Ë% C, semakin tinggi suhu semakin mempercepat perubahan stadium pradewasa serangga lalat C. megacephala. Sementara itu Ody et al, (2017) menyatakan bahwa lalat Calliphoridae akan meletakkan telur pada jasad hewan pada suhu lingkungan berkisar antara 16-35 Ë% C. Peran serangga yang datang ke jasad hewan sangat berperan penting dan sebagai satu indikator dalam menentukan waktu kematian.…”

“…Hofer et al (2017) menyatakan bahwa suhu jasad hewan sangat berpengaruh terhadap kedatangan serangga dan penentuan waktu kematian. Selain itu, suhu juga sangat berpengaruh terhadap waktu serangga dalam meletakkan telur pada jasad hewan (Ody et al, 2017;Bugelli et al, 2017). Kadar amonia meningkat sejak awal kematian sampai pada tahap pembusukan.…”