title: First report of the signal fly, Scholastes sp. (Diptera:Platystomatidae) visiting animal carcasses in Malaysia.
abstract: Signal fly, Scholastes sp. (Diptera: Platystomatidae) was observed associated with animal carcasses in Malaysia. The first observation was on a monkey carcass, which was killed by using a handgun and immediately placed in a forested area in Gombak, Selangor while the second observation was on a pig that died of natural causes and whose carcass was placed in an oil palm plantation in Tanjung Sepat, Selangor. Both animal carcasses were visited by Scholastes sp. flies during the fresh decomposition period. However, the role Scholastes flies in the decomposition process remains unknown. In this paper, we report the occurrence of Scholastes sp. on animal carcasses in Malaysia for the first time.
authors.affiliation: Medical Entomology Unit, WHO Collaborating Center for Vectors, Infectious Diseases Research Centre (IDRC), Institute for Medical Research (IMR), Jalan Pahang, 50588 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Chen Chee
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Dhang
authors.forename: Chong Chin
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Heo
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: McAlpine
authors.forename: Hiromu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kurahashi
authors.forename: Nazni Wasi
authors.initials: NW
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.forename: Abdullah Marwi
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Mohamad
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jeffery
authors.forename: Lee Han
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Baharudin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Omar
authors.forename: Mohd
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sofian-Azirun
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004175:Diptera / Q000502:physiology*; D004772:Entomology; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D044707:Forensic Sciences / Q000379:methods*; D008252:Macaca fascicularis; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D013552:Swine