Publication: Life cycle and biometric study of Hydrotaea capensis (Wiedemann, 1818) (Diptera, Muscidae), a species of
forensic Interest
Authors
Pérez-Marcos, María ; García, María Dolores ; López-Gallego, Elena ; Ramírez-Soria, María José ; Arnaldos Sanabria, María José
item.page.secondaryauthor
item.page.director
Publisher
MDPI
publication.page.editor
publication.page.department
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/insects13060531
item.page.type
info:eu-repo/semantics/article
Description
© 2022 by the authors. This manuscript version is made available under the CC-BY 4.0 license http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/. This document is the Published version of a Published Work that appeared in final form in Insects. To access the final edited and published work see https://doi.org/10.3390/insects13060531
Abstract
One of the most important and perhaps most used applications of forensic entomology concerns the estimation of the minimum post-mortem interval (minPMI), defined as the time interval between death and the actual finding of a corpse. Some Diptera species are critical in these studies because they are the first ones capable of detecting and finding a corpse and are selectively attracted by its decomposing status. Thus, the knowledge of the micromorphology of their preimaginal stages and of their life cycles within a time frame constitutes solid indicators for estimating the minPMI. Hydrotaea capensis is a Muscidae of forensic interest usually considered as a late colonizer of corpses. It is widely distributed, living mainly in warm regions, and present in a wide variety of habitats. In this study, the H. capensis life cycle was studied at four constant temperatures, 18◦, 20◦, 25◦ and 30 ◦C, by recording the duration of its different developmental stages, including the length reached in each
larval stage, as well as some biometric characteristics of the emerged adults. Significant differences were observed in the average time of development of most larval stages, with a longer duration at low temperatures, and in the length of each larval stage depending on the temperature, but, in this case, without a clear pattern. Moreover, significant differences were found in some alar features, pointing to them as a relevant indicator to be considered. The data provided will assist forensic entomologists to make more accurate minPMI estimations in cases where H. capensis is present.
publication.page.subject
Citation
Insects 2022, 13, 53
item.page.embargo
Collections
Ir a Estadísticas
Este ítem está sujeto a una licencia Creative Commons. CC BY 4.0