Size does matter: intraspecific geometric morphometric analysis of wings of the blowfly Chrysomya albiceps (Diptera: Calliphoridae).

Blowflies have forensic, sanitary and veterinary importance, as well as being pollinators, parasitoids and ecological bioindicators. There is still little work with real data and from experiments assessing the relationship between blowflies' morphologic features and environmental and demographic factors. The present work tests whether the variation, in the shape and size, of Chrysomya albiceps (Wiedemann, 1819) wings is influenced by the following factors: 1) time; 2) temperature; 3) sex and; 4) different types of carcasses (pig, dog/cat and whale). Male and female wings from four different sites collected in six different years were used to obtain wing size and shape of C. albiceps. Analyses between wing shape and the variables tested had low explanatory power, even though they had statistical support. However, it was possible to identify differences in wing shape between males and females, with good returns in sex identification. The comparison between wing size and the variables tested showed that wing size has a negative relationship with temperature, significant differences between sexes, slight variation over time and no influence by carcass types. Furthermore, wing size influenced wing shape. Understanding population-specific characteristics of C. albiceps provide important insights about how the species reacts under specific conditions.

A Preliminary Study of Carrion Insects and Their Succession in Luanda, Angola.

The study of the arthropod fauna involved in carcass decomposition is crucial for medicolegal forensic purposes. This knowledge is especially needed in countries with high levels of criminality and where the arthropod fauna is still under-recorded and not well known, such as Angola. We present data from the first survey on sarcosaprophagous flies and beetles in Angola, conducted in Luanda over a 17-d period, in the wet summer season. In total, 881 adult and immature specimens, belonging to 18 species, were collected from three pig carcasses that were sampled daily. Three species were not previously known from Angola. The dominant flies were Chrysomya albiceps (Wiedemann, 1819) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) and Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius, 1794), but Chrysomya marginalis (Wiedemann, 1830), Chrysomya putoria (Wiedemann, 1830), and Liosarcophaga emmrichiana (Lehrer, 2002) (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) also bred on the carcasses. The dominant beetles were Dermestes maculatus De Geer, 1774 (Coleoptera: Dermestidae), Saprinus splendens (Paykull 1811) (Coleoptera: Histeridae), and Necrobia rufipes (De Geer, 1775) (Coleoptera: Cleridae). Because of the hot weather during the experimental period (~27°C), decomposition was extremely fast. Periods of insect activity on carcasses are presented and comparisons are made with other carrion communities reported from the Afrotropical region.

Diversity of the Formicidae (Hymenoptera) carrion communities in Lisbon (Portugal): preliminary approach as seasonal and geographic indicators.

The value of the Formicidae (Insecta, Hymenoptera) community in forensic investigations is poorly studied in Portugal. In order to better understand the structure and dynamics of this group of insects in cadavers and their putative value in forensic investigations, studies were carried out in Lisbon area during one year. Piglet carcasses were used as a model of human decomposition. The entomofauna attracted to the carcasses was collected over a period of about 2 months in each season of the year. The collection of ants was performed at regular intervals, daily in the first 23 days and then with intervals of 2, 3 or 5 days until the end of the experiment. Five stages of cadaveric decomposition were recognized with the ants being present in all of them. Three hundred and nine specimens were captured: 7 in autumn, 6 in winter, 90 in spring and 206 in summer. These specimens belong to three subfamilies and seven different species. Four of them had never been mentioned before as being associated to cadavers in this geographical area. Spring and summer had the greater diversity of species and a larger number of individuals. Temnothorax luteus was the dominant species in spring and Tapinoma nigerrimum in summer. Corroborating the information of other similar studies carried out in the Iberian Peninsula, the sarcosaprophagous Formicidae community found in Lisbon is unique and different from other studied locations, which supports the need to perform regional studies. Our results shown that ants do not present a definite pattern of succession, but some species have the potential to be seasonal or geographic indicators.

The blowflies of the Madeira Archipelago: species diversity, distribution and identification (Diptera, Calliphoridaes. l.).

Knowledge on the taxonomic diversity and distribution of blowflies from the Madeira Archipelago is updated. New and interesting findings are reported for poorly studied islands and islets of this archipelago, together with a brief analysis of the diversity of Macaronesian Calliphoridae s. l. Seven blowfly species were collected during this study, including the first records of Calliphora vicina Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830, Chrysomya albiceps (Wiedemann, 1819), Lucilia sericata (Meigen, 1826), Pollenia rudis (Fabricius, 1794) and Stomorhina lunata (Fabricius, 1805) from Porto Santo, and of Calliphora vicina, Lucilia sericata and Stomorhina lunata from Desertas Islands. The presence of Calliphora loewi Enderlein, 1903 in Madeira Laurisilva forest is discussed and its first instar larva is redescribed, revealing important differences in relation to its original description. An identification key to the adult Madeiran blowflies is provided for the first time.

Coleoptera of forensic interest: a study of seasonal community composition and succession in Lisbon, Portugal.

Some Coleoptera are recognised as being forensically important as post-mortem interval (PMI) indicators, especially in the later stages of cadaver decomposition. Because insect species and their timings of appearance in cadavers vary according to geographic location, it is important to know their succession patterns, as well as seasonality at a regional level. In this study, we aimed to contribute to broaden this knowledge by surveying beetle communities from the Lisbon area during the four seasons of the year, using piglet carcasses as animal models. Five stages were recognised during the decomposition process and they could be separated taking into account the occurrence and abundance of the specific groups of Coleoptera collected. Decay stages in general recorded higher abundance and richness of beetle species. A total of 82 species were identified, belonging to 28 families, in a total of 1968 adult Coleoptera collected. Autumn yielded the highest values of species abundance and richness, while the lowest values were recorded during winter. Staphylinidae was the most abundant family in all seasons, although in spring and summer Dermestidae was also quite dominant. In general, most species were related to the decay stages, particularly Margarinotus brunneus (Histeridae) and Creophilus maxillosus (Staphylinidae), and also Saprinus detersus (Histeridae) and Thanatophilus sinuatus (Silphidae), while only few were related to the dry stage, namely Oligota pusillima (Staphylinidae) and Dermestidae spp. larvae. On the other hand, Anotylus complanatus and Atheta pertyi (Staphylinidae) were apparently more associated with the fresh and bloated stages, respectively. The presence of some species was markedly seasonal, allowing a season characterisation based on the occurrence of certain taxa, which can be useful for forensic purposes.

Piophila megastigmata (Diptera: Piophilidae): first records on human corpses.

Piophila megastigmata McAlpine, 1978, for many years only known from South Africa, was recently recorded in Spain. The present work reports for the first time the occurrence of P. megastigmata in human corpses in Portugal. The species was also collected in succession studies conducted with piglet carcasses, where it coexisted with Stearibia nigriceps (Meigen, 1826), showing similar periods of presence in the carcass. However, P. megastigmata was more abundant than S. nigriceps in autumn, with the opposite in summer. During winter neither species was able to colonize carrion and in spring, only S. nigriceps. This first record of P. megastigmata in human corpses confirms it as a potentially useful forensic species in Europe. The species, well established in the Iberian Peninsula, probably has a wider distribution but has been previously overlooked and possibly confused with Piophila casei (Linnaeus, 1758) in many studies.