Distinguishing Four Calliphoridae Species (Diptera) from Jamaica Using the Cephalopharyngeal Skeleton: Application to Forensic Investigations

• Published in: Neotropical entomology 2022-12, Vol.51 (6), p.830-839
• Main Authors: Barrett, Taneisha Aneika, Yuan, Félix Landry, Garraway, Eric
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agriculture; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Entomology; family; forensic sciences; instars; Jamaica; larval development; Life Sciences; Lucilia; Morphology and Physiology; morphometry; mouth; postmortem changes; skeleton; species; species identification; Systematics
• ISSN: 1678-8052; 1678-8052
• DOI: 10.1007/s13744-022-00993-4

Flies of the family Calliphoridae, commonly called blow flies, are important in the decomposition process. Knowledge on their succession pattern on corpses, species identification and the duration of their life cycle stages can be useful in forensic investigations especially when estimating the post-mortem interval. We performed linear-based morphometrics on the cephalopharyngeal skeleton of four blow fly species found in Jamaica to distinguish species and determine larval development stage. We collected eggs from pigs’ heads used as bait in the field and conducted rearing exercises in the laboratory. We used the internal skeletonized structure, the cephalopharyngeal skeleton, to develop a practical and efficient method for species identification. For the first instar, we found species can be differentiated using all the measurements analysed in the study. We found that the mouth hook length may be useful in distinguishing larvae in the second instar. For the larvae in the third instar, the whole length of the skeleton, from mouth hook to length of the dorsal cornue, may be useful for separating species. We provide information on the cephalopharyngeal skeleton of Lucilia lucigerens (James), a blow fly species endemic to Jamaica, for the first time. Our work provides relevant information that could be utilized for species identification and life stage determination if fly evidence is to be incorporated in forensic investigations in Jamaica.