Determining Species and Sex of Chrysomya rufifacies (Macquart) and Cochliomyia macellaria (Fabricius) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) Based on Pupae Weight Difference

Authors

  • Lauren Esther Krupa Texas A&M University

Abstract

In both the medical and forensic fields, blow flies (Diptera: Calliphoridae) play an important role as decomposers of carrion. Chrysomya rufifacies (Macquart) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) and Cochliomyia macellaria (Fabricius) (Diptera: Calliphoridae)  have both been known to be some of the first insects present in the wild on carrion and can be used to determine the Post Mortem Interval (PMI) in certain cases. The two blow flies are similar in life style and appearance; however a certain size difference in pupae of females and males was noted. Being able to determine the sex and species from the weight of the larvae would allow for scientists to tell early on and not have to wait for them to emerge as adults for this information. This experiment set to test that there was a difference in the weight of the blow fly pupae based on sex and species. Maggots were collected from the wild and the second generation of those flies was used to weigh each species. There was found to be a significant difference (P value < 0.0001) in the weight of Chrysomya rufifacies male (0.043339 grams) and females (0.061941 grams) when compared to those of Cochliomyia macellaria male (0.006990366 grams) and females (0.042606 grams).

Key words: Sex, Maggots, carrion, weight, pupae

References

Brundage AL.2012.Fitness Effects of Colonization Time of Chrysomya Rufifacies and Cochliomyia Macellaria, and Their Response to Intra- and Inter-Specific Eggs and Egg-Associated Microbes

SWIGER SL, HOGSETTE JA, BUTLER JF.2013. Larval Distribution and Behavior of Chrysomya rufifacies (Macquart) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) Relative to Other Species on Florida Black Bear (Carnivora: Ursidae) Decomposing Carcasses. http://livestockvetento.tamu.edu/files/2015/07/Larval-Distribution_NeoTrop_Feb2014.pdf

Wells JD, Greenberg B.1992. Interaction between Chrysomya rufifacies And Cochliomyia macellaria (Diptera: Calliphoridae): the possible consequences of an invasion. https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0007485300051543

Wells JD, Greenberg B.1992. Laboratory Interaction Between Introduced Chrysomya Rufifacies and Native Cochliomyia Macellaria (Diptera: Calliphoridae) https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/53436BBC73E6EC95338FA2C88F6113D4/S0007485300051543a.pdf/interaction-between-chrysomya-rufifacies-and-cochliomyia-macellaria-diptera-calliphoridae-the-possible-consequences-of-an-invasion.pdf

Downloads

Published

2019-01-31