title: The geographical distribution of fly larvae on corpses in Saitama Prefecture in Japan during the summer season.
abstract: Identification of fly larvae species may offer valuable information as to the location, or the environment in which corpses were placed, but only if the geographical distribution of larva species is clarified. In this study, we investigated a total of 126 larvae on 42 corpses found in Saitama Prefecture in Japan between July and September. We identified the larva species by analyzing the sequences of mitochondrial DNA cytochrome oxidase gene subunit I. Our results revealed that larvae belonged to 6 different species: Lucilia sericata and Chrysomya pinguis from the Calliphoridae family, and Parasarcophaga crassipalpis, Boettcherisca peregrina, Parasarcophaga harpax, and Parasarcophaga dux from the Sarcophagidae family. Additionally, we investigated if there was a correlation between larvae species and population density. Based on the random sampling and the statistical analysis on the entire larva collection, larvae of Chrysomya pinguis species were more likely to be found in low population density areas, whereas larvae of Lucilia sericata were commonly found in high population density areas. The accumulation of distribution data of larvae may be useful to confirm the environment around the place where corpses were found.
authors.affiliation: Department of Legal Medicine, Teikyo University School of Medicine, 2-11-1, Kaga, Itabashiku, Tokyo 173-8605, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Toukairin
authors.affiliation: Department of Legal Medicine, Teikyo University School of Medicine, 2-11-1, Kaga, Itabashiku, Tokyo 173-8605, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomomi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Arai
authors.affiliation: Department of Legal Medicine, Teikyo University School of Medicine, 2-11-1, Kaga, Itabashiku, Tokyo 173-8605, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomoaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hoshi
authors.affiliation: Department of Legal Medicine, Teikyo University School of Medicine, 2-11-1, Kaga, Itabashiku, Tokyo 173-8605, Japan.
authors.forename: Juan Alejandro
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Oliva Trejo
authors.affiliation: Department of Legal Medicine, Teikyo University School of Medicine, 2-11-1, Kaga, Itabashiku, Tokyo 173-8605, Japan. Electronic address: mnogami@med.teikyo-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nogami
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002102:Cadaver; D004175:Diptera; D004772:Entomology; D044707:Forensic Sciences; D005843:Geography; D006358:Hot Temperature; D007564:Japan; D007814:Larva / Q000254:growth & development*; D012621:Seasons; D013048:Specimen Handling
keywords: Fly larva; Forensic entomology; Geographical distribution; Species identification