A case of Calliphora vicina Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830 (Diptera, Calliphoridae) breeding in a human corpse in Calabria (southern Italy)

Bonacci, Teresa; Vercillo, Vannio; Brandmayr, Pietro; Fonti, A; Tersaruolo, Claudio; Brandmayr, Tullia Zetto

doi:10.1016/j.legalmed.2008.06.004

Cited by 28 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…As also observed in other studies, Diptera Calliphoridae was massively collected during the initial stages of decomposition and Coleoptera in the decay and dry stages. In other investigations in Calabria, Bonacci et al (2009) found that Calliphora vicina and C. vomitoria were associated with the autumn and winter seasons, whereas Lucilia spp. appeared in all seasons and Chrysomya albiceps appeared in spring, summer and autumn seasons.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 72%

Successional patterns of the insect fauna on a pig carcass in southern Italy and the role of Crematogaster scutellaris (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) as a carrion invader

Bonacci

Brandmayr

et al. 2011

Entomological Science

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The sarcosaprophagous fauna plays a key role in organic matter decomposition. Moreover, the biological, ecological and behavioral specificities of the taxa are useful to reconstruct the decay history of a corpse or carcass, often back to the lethal event. Here we report the seasonal succession of the insect fauna on a pig carcass exposed in a rural area in Calabria (southern Italy) during summer 2007 and 2008. The aim is to identify and qualitatively assess the major taxa of forensic importance in this region. The principal fly invaders were Lucilia caesar (L.), L. sericata (Meigen, 1826), Chrysomya albiceps (Wiedemann, 1819), Sarcophaga (Meigen, 1826) spp. and Amobia (Robineau‐Desvoidy, 1830) spp., Musca domestica (L.) and Muscina stabulans (Fallen, 1817). The primary beetle species collected in summer belonged to Dermestidae, Dermestes maculatus (De Geer, 1774) and Cleridae, Necrobia rufipes (De Geer, 1775). This paper also examined the ecological role of ants in the insect succession and describes the evidence of skin injuries directly inflicted by the acrobat ant Crematogaster (Acrocoelia) scutellaris (Olivier, 1791) (Hymenoptera Formicidae) while feeding on pig carrion. Ants belonging to two other species were also collected: Camponotus aethiops (Latreille, 1798) and Tetramorium semilaeve (André, 1881). Ants can invade carcasses and corpses directly, disrupting blowfly egg laying or preying on their larvae. Our data on the carrion faunal composition and role of ants as invaders should be useful for further forensic cases in Calabria (southern Italy). This is among the few reports of ants as forensically relevant species.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 72%

Successional patterns of the insect fauna on a pig carcass in southern Italy and the role of Crematogaster scutellaris (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) as a carrion invader

Bonacci

Brandmayr

et al. 2011

Entomological Science

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“…in summer is a very important ecological datum. It is a cold-adapted blowfl y species and the only one present in rural and urban habitats of Calabria in the winter months (Bonacci et al, 2009 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A preliminary investigation of insect succession on carrion in Calabria (southern Italy)

et al. 2010

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We present data from the fi rst study of successional patterns of insect fauna in Calabria (southern Italy). Th e aim was to identify and qualitatively assess the major taxa of forensic importance in this region. Studies were conducted in autumn-winter 2006, summer 2007 and winter 2008 in the Botanical Garden, University of Calabria. Over 50 taxa were collected and identifi ed. Th e most abundant fl y species were Lucilia caesar (Linnaeus, 1758), L. sericata (Meigen, 1826), Chrysomya albiceps (Wiedemann, 1819), Calliphora vicina Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830, C. vomitoria (Linnaeus, 1758) , Sarcophaga spp ., Amobia sp ., Musca domestica Linnaeus, 1758, and Muscina stabulans ((Fallén). Th e successional patterns, relative abundance of adult sarcosaprophagous insects, carcass decay, diversity and seasonality of species are described and the taxa useful for estimating the post-mortem interval (PMI) are identifi ed. Th e data of this study could be very useful for further forensic investigations in southern Italy. ©Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, 2010.

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“…Several studies have indicated that the primary important carrion species belong to a relatively small number of families, namely, Calliphoridae, Muscidae, Sarcophagidae, and Fanniidae (Amendt et al 2004;Eberhardt and Elliot 2008;Battán Horenstein and Salvo 2012), but it is important to notice that carrion fly communities vary both geographically and seasonally (Arnaldos et al 2001;Campobasso et al 2001;Amendt et al 2004;Hwang and Turner 2005;Anton et al 2011;Brundage et al 2011). The validation of reference data collected in different locations, even within the same geographic area, has received some attention because variation between habitats, particularly temperature and vegetation, is known to influence insect succession patterns and alter decomposition rates (Mann et al 1990;Turchetto and Vanin 2004;Hwang and Turner 2005;Bonacci et al 2009;Brundage et al 2011). Therefore, the knowledge of the primary sarcosaprophagous communities, especially in terms of species composition and relative abundance, of a specific area, can be very useful in medico-legal investigations and veterinary surveillance.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Small Bait Traps as Accurate Predictors of Dipteran Early Colonizers in Forensic Studies

Farinha

Dourado

Centeio

et al. 2014

Journal of Insect Science

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A case of Calliphora vicina Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830 (Diptera, Calliphoridae) breeding in a human corpse in Calabria (southern Italy)

Cited by 28 publications

References 16 publications

Successional patterns of the insect fauna on a pig carcass in southern Italy and the role of Crematogaster scutellaris (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) as a carrion invader

Successional patterns of the insect fauna on a pig carcass in southern Italy and the role of Crematogaster scutellaris (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) as a carrion invader

A preliminary investigation of insect succession on carrion in Calabria (southern Italy)

Small Bait Traps as Accurate Predictors of Dipteran Early Colonizers in Forensic Studies

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