José Roberto Pujol-Luz

The Black Soldier‐fly, Hermetia illucens (Diptera, Stratiomyidae), Used to Estimate the Postmortem Interval in a Case in Amapá State, Brazil*

Abstract:  The black soldier‐fly (Hermetia illucens) is a generalist detritivore which is commonly present in corpses in later stages of decomposition and may be useful in forensic entomology. This paper describes the estimation of the postmortem interval (PMI) based on the life cycle of the black soldier‐fly in a case in northern Brazil. A male child was abducted from his home and 42 days later his corpse was found in an advanced stage of decay. Two black soldier‐fly larvae were found associated with the body. The larvae emerged as adults after 25–26 days. Considering the development cycle of H. illucens, the date of oviposition was estimated as 24–25 days after abduction. Since H. illucens usually (but not always) colonizes corpses in more advanced stages of decay, this estimate is consistent with the hypothesis that the child was killed immediately after abduction.

Cem anos da Entomologia Forense no Brasil (1908-2008)

The history of the development of forensic entomology in Brazil, its current status and perspectives are reviewed. Those studies in Brazil began in 1908 with the pioneer works conducted by Roquette-Pinto and Oscar Freire, who noted the high diversity of the native fauna of necrophagous insects and the impossibility of direct application of the methods developed in Europe. In the last two decades, forensic entomology advanced rapidly in Brazil, but there still are some important limitations, especially in relation to the taxonomy, biology and ecology of necrophagous insects and the lack of interaction between researchers and police investigators. Today there are in Brazil over 20 researchers involved with forensic entomology and tens of police investigators with some training in this field. Guidelines for the development of this field of investigation in Brazil are also presented.The history of the development of forensic entomology in Brazil, its current status and perspectives are reviewed. Those studies in Brazil began in 1908 with the pioneer works conducted by Roquette-Pinto and Oscar Freire, who noted the high diversity of the native fauna of necrophagous insects and the impossibility of direct application of the methods developed in Europe. In the last two decades, forensic entomology advanced rapidly in Brazil, but there still are some important limitations, especially in relation to the taxonomy, biology and ecology of necrophagous insects and the lack of interaction between researchers and police investigators. Today there are in Brazil over 20 researchers involved with forensic entomology and tens of police investigators with some training in this field. Guidelines for the development of this field of investigation in Brazil are also presented.

Sarcophagidae (Insecta, Diptera) associados à decomposição de carcaças de Sus scrofa Linnaeus (Suidae) em área de Cerrado do Distrito Federal, Brasil

This work presents a list of adult flesh flies collected from a pig carrion Sus scrofa, in a Cerrado area of Distrito Federal, Brazil, being a study on the composition of the dipteran fauna in the region. The field work followed the decay of the carrion and was conduced for 45 days. From 4,626 collected flesh flies, 28 species were identified, consisting in 16 new records for this region.

A checklist of Calliphoridae blowflies (Insecta, Diptera) associated with a pig carrion in central Brazil.

Abstract:  Although the Cerrado is the second major Brazilian biome, few studies have been undertaken about its entomofauna. Blowflies have an important role in forensic entomology, helping in the determination of postmortem intervals. The main goal of this exploratory study was to identify and to catalog the blowfly species associated with a pig carcass. The study was conducted in a pasture in Brasília, Distrito Federal. A pig (Sus scrofa) was killed with a .22 caliber shot in the frontal region of the head. Adult blowflies were surveyed daily from June 1 through 30, 2004. A total of 14,910 adult calliphorids were collected, representing eight species: Chrysomya albiceps, C. megacephala, Cochliomyia macellaria, Chloroprocta idioidea, Hemilucilia semidiaphana, H. segmentaria, Lucilia cuprina, and L. eximia. C. albiceps was the most frequent species, amounting to 94.76% of the catch. Five decomposition stages were observed, and for calliphorids, the most attractive stage was the bloated one.

Coprophanaeus lancifer (Linnaeus, 1767) (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae) activity moves a man-size pig carcass: Relevant data for forensic taphonomy

Taphonomy is the study of many variables involving decomposition, preservation, dispersal, erosion, burial or exposition of dead organisms. Forensic Taphonomy examines how biotic or abiotic variables can change evidences in legal investigations. Many insects are closely associated with decomposition processes. The scavenger dung-beetle, Coprophanaeus lancifer (Linnaeus, 1767), may be important biotaphonomically in the decomposition process of carcasses. Man-size pig carcasses were used as models to examine the decomposition process in the Adolpho Ducke Forest Reserve in central Amazonia. The scavenger dung-beetle has great potential in decomposition and production of post-mortem injuries, including dismemberment and the removal of soil beneath the carcass thereby causing a change in its position.

Chrysomya albiceps (Wiedemann) and Hemilucilia segmentaria (Fabricius) (Diptera, Calliphoridae) used to estimate the postmortem interval in a forensic case in Minas Gerais, Brazil

ABSTRACT. Chrysomya albiceps (Wiedemann) and Hemilucilia segmentaria (Fabricius) (Diptera, Calliphoridae) used to estimate the postmortem interval in a forensic case in Minas Gerais, Brazil. The corpse of a man was found in a Brazilian highland savanna (cerrado) in the state of Minas Gerais. Fly larvae were collected at the crime scene and arrived at the laboratory three days afterwards. From the eight pre-pupae, seven adults of Chrysomya albiceps (Wiedemann, 1819) emerged and, from the two larvae, two adults of Hemilucilia segmentaria (Fabricius, 1805) were obtained. As necrophagous insects use corpses as a feeding resource, their development rate can be used as a tool to estimate the postmortem interval. The post-embryonary development stage of the immature collected on the body was estimated as the difference between the total development time and the time required for them to become adults in the lab. The estimated age of the maggots from both species and the minimum postmortem interval were four days. This is the first time that H. segmentaria is used to estimate the postmortem interval in a forensic case.

A forensic entomology case from the Amazon rain forest of Brazil.

ABSTRACT: The first case of application of forensic entomology in the Brazilian Amazonia is described. The corpses of 26 men were found in the rainforest in Rondonia State, Brazil. Fly larvae collected on the bodies during autopsy were identified as Paralucilia fulvinota (Diptera, Calliphoridae). No data or specimens were collected at the crime scene. At the laboratory, the larvae developed into pupae in 58 h and into adults in 110.5 h. The total development time for P. fulvinota was measured in field experiments inside the forest. The age of the larvae when collected from the bodies was estimated as the difference between the time required for them to become adults and the total development time for this species. The estimated age of the maggots and the minimum postmortem interval was 5.7 days.

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

Desenvolvimento intra-pupal de femeas de Chrysomya albiceps (Wiedemann) (Diptera, Calliphoridae) A cronologia e as mudancas morfologicas que ocorrem durante o desenvolvimento intra-pupal de Chrysomya albiceps sao descritos com base em 254 especimes criados em laboratorio. As larvas foram obtidas a partir os ovos postos por uma unica femea. As pre-pupas foram separadas de acordo com a reducao do comprimento larval, o grau de pigmentacao e esclerotizacao da cuticula, depois da formacao das pupas, 10 individuos foram fixados em solucao de Carnoy e conservados em etanol 70%, e 10 individuos foram fixados a cada 3 horas, ate completar as primeiras 24 horas (n = 80), os demais individuos foram fixados a cada seis horas ate a hora 90 (n = 110), quando 54 femeas haviam emergido. As pupas foram imersas em de acido formico a 5% por 48 horas e mantidos em etanol 70%, e entao dissecados e analisados. C. albiceps mostrou quatro estagios intra-pupais, que foram descritos e comparados com aqueles descritos para Musca domestica, Calliphora erythrocephala, Sarcophaga bullata, Cuterebra tenebrosa, Oestrus ovis e Dermatobia hominis. Quatro estagios de desenvolvimento podem ser descritos: (1) apolise da larva-pupa, depois de tres horas; (2) a pupa criptocefalica, depois de seis horas, (3) a pupa fanerocefalica, depois de nove horas, e a pupa farada apos nove horas. O adulto farado esta completamente formado apos 81 horas.

Sobre a ocorrência de Philornis angustifrons e P. deceptiva (Diptera, Muscidae) em ninhos de Suiriri affinis e S. islerorum (aves, tyrannidae), no cerrado do Distrito Federal, Brasil

The first report of Philornis angustifrons and P. deceptiva infesting nests of Suiriri affinis and S. islerorum in area of Distrito Federals savanna is presented. It is known that larvae of these species have a strict relationship of parasitism with birds. The pupae were collected after the abandonment of the nests and the flies emerged in a period of about 13 days.

Intra-Puparial Development of the Black Soldier-fly, Hermetia illucens

Abstract The intra-puparial development of the black soldier-fly, Hermetia illucens (L.) (Diptera: Stratiomyidae), was studied based on 125 pupae under controlled conditions in laboratory. The 6 th instar larvae were reared until they stopped feeding, and the prepupae were separated according to the reduction in larval length and degree of pigmentation and sclerotization of the cuticle. The pupal stage lasted eight days (192 hours). The process of pupation (larva/pupa apolysis) occurred in the first six hours, extroversion of the head and thoracic appendages took place between the ninth and 21 st hours, and the pharate appeared 21 hours after completing pupation. After pupariation, four morphological phases of intra-puparial development were observed and described.