Insects associated with exposed decomposing bodies in the Colombian Andean Coffee Region

In Colombia, mainly classic forensic medicine methods were used to clarify crimes until 2004. However, other disciplines, including forensic entomology, started to be considered only after the New Accusatory System introduction in Bogotá and the Coffee Region in 2005. In order to provide tools for obtaining evidentiary material elements in judicial trials, it is presented here the succession of insects throughout the decomposition process of an exposed carcass of Sus scrofa Linnaeus 1758 (Suidae) and the Occurrence Matrix of colonizing species. This process was evaluated under ambient conditions in the Andean rural area of the city of Pereira, in the Mundo Nuevo district, located in a pre-montane Wet Forest area, from October to November 2006. A sampling period of 27 days and 3198 individuals were collected. We found these colonizing species in the following stages of decomposition: Lucilia eximia (Wiedemann, 1819) fresh; Hemilucilia semidiaphana (Rondani, 1850), Oxelytrum discicolle (Brullé, 1840), and Cochliomyia macellaria (Fabricius 1775) bloated; Chrysomya albiceps (Wiedemann 1819), Compsomyiops verena (Walker, 1849), Ophyra aenescens (Wiedemann, 1830) and Musca domestica Linnaeus, 1758 active; Fannia sp. advanced and Stearibia nigriceps (Meigen, 1826) remains. This study provides support tools to define the Post Mortem Interval that may be used by experts from government institutions and laboratories officially accredited.

The effect of environment on development and survival of pupae of the necrophagous fly Ophyra albuquerquei Lopes (Diptera, Muscidae)

The effect of environment on development and survival of pupae of the necrophagous fly Ophyra albuquerquei Lopes (Diptera, Muscidae). Species of Ophyra Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830 are found in decomposing bodies, usually in fresh, bloated and decay stages. Ophyra albuquerquei Lopes, for example, can be found in animal carcasses. The influence of environmental factors has not been evaluated in puparia of O. albuquerquei. Thus, the focus of this work was motivated by the need for models to predict the development of a necrophagous insect as a function of abiotic factors. Colonies of O. albuquerquei were maintained in the laboratory to obtain pupae. On the tenth day of each month 200 pupae, divided equally into 10 glass jars, were exposed to the environment and checked daily for adult emergence of each sample. We concluded that the high survival rate observed suggested that the diets used for rearing the larvae and maintaining the adults were appropriate. Also, the data adjusted to robust generalized linear models and there were no interruptions of O. albuquerquei pupae development within the limits of temperatures studied in southern Rio Grande do Sul, given the high survival presented.

Arthropods associated with pig carrion in two vegetation profiles of Cerrado in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil

Forensic Entomology research has been concentrated in only a few localities of the "Cerrado" vegetation, the Brazilian Savannah. The present study had, as its objective, an examination of the diversity of arthropod fauna associated with the carcasses of Sus scrofa (Linnaeus) in this biome. The study was conducted during the dry and humid periods in two Cerrado vegetation profiles of the State of Minas Gerais. The decaying process was slower and greater quantities of arthropods were collected during the dry period. Insects represented 99% of 161,116 arthropods collected. The majority of these were Diptera (80.2%) and Coleoptera (8.8%). The entomofauna belong to 85 families and at least 212 species. Diptera were represented by 31 families and at least 132 species. Sarcophagidae (Diptera) and Scarabaeidae (Coleoptera) were the richest groups. Oxysarcodexia (Sarcophagidae) presented the largest number of attracted species, however none of these species bred in the carcasses. The Coleoptera collected belong to at least 50 species of 21 families. Among these species, Dermestes maculatus and Necrobia rufipes were observed breeding in the carcasses. This study showed species with potential importance for estimating the postmortem interval (PMI), indicative of seasonal and environmental type located.

Intra-puparial development of the females of Chrysomya albiceps (Wiedemann) (Diptera, Calliphoridae)

Intra-puparial development of the females of Chrysomya albiceps (Wiedemann) (Diptera, Calliphoridae). The chronology and morphological changes that take place during intra-puparial development of Chrysomya albiceps is described based on 254 specimens reared in the laboratory. Larvae were obtained from the eggs laid by a single female. The pre-pupae were separated according to the reduction of larval length and the degree of pigmentation and sclerotization of the cuticle. After pupation, 10 individuals were fixed in Carnoy's solution and preserved in 70% ethanol, 10 individuals were fixed every 3 hours up to complete the first 24 hours (n = 80), the remaining individuals were fixed every six hours up to the 90th hour (n = 110) when 54 females emerged. The pupae were immersed in 5% formic acid for 48 hours and maintained in 70% ethanol, and then dissected and analyzed. C. albiceps shows four intra-puparial stages, each of which were described and compared with those described for Musca domestica, Calliphora erythrocephala, Sarcophaga bullata, Cuterebra tenebrosa, Oestrus ovis and Dermatobia hominis. Four developmental stages may be described: (1) the larva-pupa apolysis, after three hours; (2) the criptocephalic pupa, after six hours; (3) the phanerocephalic pupa, after nine hours; (4) the pharate pupa, after nine hours. The pharate adult is completely formed after 81 hours.

Sarcophagidae and Calliphoridae related to Rhinella schneideri (Anura, Bufonidae), Bothrops moojeni (Reptilia, Serpentes) and Mabuya frenata (Reptilia, Lacertilia) carcasses in Brasília, Brazil

Sarcophagidae and Calliphoridae related to Rhinella schneideri (Anura, Bufonidae), Bothrops moojeni (Reptilia, Serpentes) and Mabuya frenata (Reptilia, Lacertilia) carcasses in Brasília, Brazil. This paper presents a list of necrophagous insects associated with small size carrions of two reptiles and one amphibian, found in areas of riparian forests and Cerrado sensu stricto physiognomies in a Conservation Unit located in Brasilia, Distrito Federal. We found seven species of insects related to these carcasses, being five Sarcophagidae, one Calliphoridae and one Braconidae parasitoid wasp. Lucilia eximia and Peckia (Pattonella) intermutans were the most abundant species in the study, corroborating with other studies that suggests that these species have specializations for colonization of small size animal carcasses.

Origin of samples of Cannabis sativa through insect fragments associated with compacted hemp drug in South America

Origin of samples of Cannabis sativa through insect fragments associated with compacted hemp drug in South America. Insects associated with a seizure of Cannabis sativa L. may indicate the origin of the illicit drug. Nevertheless, no work regarding this subject has been previously published for South America. In the present investigation, seven kilograms of vegetal material (C. sativa) were inspected for insect fragments. Three species were identified and used to test the origin of the seizure of cannabis plant material: Euschistus heros (Fabricius, 1794), Thyanta perditor (Fabricius, 1794) (Heteroptera, Pentatomidae), and Cephalotes pusillus (Klug, 1824) (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). These insect species restricted the geographic origin of the drug to the Neotropical region, and their distribution patterns showed an overlap of the State of Mato Grosso (Brazil), Argentina, and Paraguay. Based on this information, two of the three major C. sativa growing areas in South America were excluded: (1) the Colombian territory and (2) northeastern Brazil.

Sarchophagid flies (Insecta, Diptera) from pig carcasses in Minas Gerais, Brazil, with nine new records from the Cerrado, a threatened Neotropical biome

Sarchophagid flies (Insecta, Diptera) from pig carcasses in Minas Gerais, Brazil, with nine new records from the Cerrado, a threatened Neotropical biome. The diversity of the Sarcophagidae fauna of the Cerrado biome, also know as the Brazilian Savanna, is still underestimated. In this research we collected flies in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, during a Forensic Entomology experiment. Samples were collected throughout the decomposition process of domestic pig (Sus scrofa Linnaeus) carcasses, and the experiments were conducted in areas of pasture and semideciduous forest. A total of 85,694 adult flesh flies belonging to 57 species were collected from all carcasses. New records for nine species of Sarcophaginae are provided, including the first record of Blaesoxipha (Acridiophaga) caridei (Brèthes, 1906) to Brazil, and new occurrences of the following species for the Cerrado and/or for the state of Minas Gerais: Blaesoxipha (Acanthodotheca) acridiophagoides (Lopes & Downs, 1951), Malacophagomyia filamenta (Dodge, 1964), Nephochaetopteryx orbitalis (Curran & Walley, 1934), Nephochaetopteryx cyaneiventris Lopes, 1936, Nephochaetopteryx pallidiventris Townsend, 1934, Oxysarcodexia occulta Lopes, 1946, Ravinia effrenata (Walker, 1861) and Sarcophaga (Neobellieria) polistensis (Hall, 1933).

Preliminary study of insects associated to indoor body decay in Colombia

Preliminary study of insects associated to indoor body decay in Colombia. This is the first report studying insects associated to indoor body decay process of a white pig (Sus scrofa) (Artiodactyla, Suidae) in a controlled indoor environment in an urban area of Florencia city, Amazonia Piedmont, Colombia. For a period of 54 days, 9,220 individuals (immature and adults), distributed in 3 orders, 5 families, 10 genera, and 10 species were collected using entomological nets and tweezers. Five decaying stages are described (fresh, bloated, active decay, advanced decay and remains). During the fresh stage we recorded Cochliomyia macellaria (Fabricius, 1775), Chrysomya albiceps (Wiedemann, 1819), Ophyra aenescens (Wiedemann, 1830), Oxysarcodexia sp., Lepidodexia sp. and Lasiophanes sp.; during the bloating stage C. macellaria, C. albiceps, Lucilia eximia (Wiedemann, 1819), Hemilucillia semidiaphana (Rondani, 1850), Musca domestica Linnaeus, 1758, O. aenescens, Oxysarcodexia sp., Lepidodexia sp., Dermestes maculatus De Geer, 1774 and Lasiphanes sp.; during the active decay C. macellaria, C. albiceps, L. eximia, M. domestica, O. aenescens, Lepidodexia sp. D. maculatus and Lasiophanes sp.; during the advanced decay C. macellaria, C. albiceps, M. domestica, Lepidodexia sp. and Lasiophanes sp.; and during the remains stage C. albiceps, D. maculatus and Lasiophanes sp. The insects were sorted out in 3 ecological categories; necrophagous, predators and parasites and sarco-saprophagous. According to Chao and Jack estimators, total richness was observed on day 20, with 100% of the expected species.

Trophic roles of scavenger beetles in relation to decomposition stages and seasons

Carcasses represent a trophic and reproductive resource or shelter for arthropods, which are a representative component of the decomposition process. Four experiments, one per season, were conducted in a semi-rural area of Bahía Blanca, Argentina, to study the trophic roles of cadaveric beetles, evaluating the abundance, composition and dominance during all decomposition stages and seasons. Species of necrophagous, necrophilous and omnivorous habits were found. Abundance, composition and dominance of beetles in relation to their trophic roles changed according to seasons and decomposition stages. Guilds and patterns of succession were established in relation to those periods. Trophic roles could be an indicator of beetle associations with decomposition stages and seasons.

A survey of necrophagous blowflies (Diptera: Oestroidea) in the Amazonas-Negro interfluvial region (Brazilian Amazon)

ABSTRACT The fauna of blowflies (Calliphoridae and Mesembrinellidae) in three localities of primary Amazon forest coverage in the Amazonas-Negro interfluvial region was assessed. A total of 5066 blowflies were collected, with Chloroprocta idiodea being the most abundant species (66.3%). A difference in species richness between the localities ZF2 and Novo Airão was observed. Comparison among sampled sites revealed no considerable variation in fauna composition, except for the species Eumesembrinella benoisti (Séguy 1925) and Hemilucilia sp., whose occurrence was observed only in a single locality. Apparently, Amazon rivers are not efficient geographical barriers to influence the current composition of necrophagous blowfly assemblages. Also, most of the blowfly species did not show a noticeable specificity for any specific forest among the interfluvial areas of the ombrophilous forest. Finally, an updated checklist of necrophagous blowfly species of the Amazonas state in Brazil is presented.

Activity and behavior of blowflies on pig liver baits in spring

Des pièges attractifs contenant du foie frais et du foie âgé de 2 et 4 jours ont été utilisés au cours de 9 journées de capture (avril à mai 1999). Parmi les 451 spécimens récoltés, 7 espèces de Calliphoridae ont été identifiées. Les conditions météorologiques, exprimées par la pluie, la température et les radiations solaires, ont une influence signficative sur l'activité des mouches. A l'exception de Lucilia sericata et L. Illustris, les autres espèces montrent une nette préférence pour les pièges contenant du foie de 4 jours. Le sex-ratio est toujours en faveur des femelles et varie de 1.7:1 (L. silvarum) à 18.8:1 (L. illustris).

Comparação dos padrões de atratividade de Hermetia illucens (Diptera, Stratiomyidae) associada a carcaças de Rattus norvergicus enterradas e tratadas com hormônios esteróides

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)