Developmental rate of Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius) (Insecta, Diptera, Calliphoridae), a species of forensic importance, under alternating temperature

Resumo

Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius) (Insecta, Diptera, Calliphoridae), originating in Asia and currently found in the African and American continents, may be associated with decomposing bodies due to its necrophagous habit. For this reason, it gains importance in the forensic field. Temperature is one of the most important extrinsic factors in the life of insects because it directly affects their metabolism. In the literature only data on the development of forensically important insects under controlled temperature are available. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the rate of development of C. megacephala under two sets of alternating temperatures (22.5-32.5°C and 20-35°C). The results obtained here may be useful for obtaining more accurate development models to estimate the time of death in criminal events.