Blowflies Reared in Laboratory Conditions from Maggots Collected on Rat (Rattus norvegicus Berkenhout, 1769, Var Wistar) Carrions in Yaoundé (Cameroon, Central Africa)
F. D. Feugang Youmessi *
Department of Animal Biology and Physiology, University of Yaounde I, Cameroon.
P. B. Nwane
Department of Animal Biology and Physiology, University of Yaounde I, Cameroon.
C. Djiéto-lordon
Department of Animal Biology and Physiology, University of Yaounde I, Cameroon.
Y. Braet
Microtraces Laboratory, National Institute of Criminalistic and Criminology, Belgium.
M. H. Villet
Department of Zoology and Entomology, Rhodes University, South Africa.
C. F. Bilong Bilong
Department of Animal Biology and Physiology, University of Yaounde I, Cameroon.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Forensic entomology offers insects as physical evidence during legal procedures. Forensic entomologists have determined succession of arthropods on dead animals, but few published studies are available on necrophagous larvae collected on carcasses around the world. This study evaluated the diversity of arthropods associated with rat carcasses to identify species of forensic relevance. Larvae hatched from arthropod eggs were reared until the emergence of adult flies under ambient laboratory conditions. Adult flies were identified to species level. Overall, 6319 individuals belonging to 6 families, 13 genera and 21 species of Diptera emerged.
Keywords: Forensic entomology, necrophagous arthropods, parasitoid wasps, Cameroon