First record of Hermetia illucens (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) on human corpses in Iberian Peninsula

Anabel Martínez-Sánchez; Concepción Magaña; Marta Saloña; Santos Rojo

doi:10.1016/j.forsciint.2010.10.021

First record of Hermetia illucens (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) on human corpses in Iberian Peninsula

Forensic Sci Int. 2011 Mar 20;206(1-3):e76-8. doi: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2010.10.021. Epub 2010 Dec 8.

Authors

Anabel Martínez-Sánchez¹, Concepción Magaña, Marta Saloña, Santos Rojo

Affiliation

¹ Departamento de Ciencias Ambientales y Recursos Naturales/Instituto Universitario CIBIO, Universidad de Alicante, PO Box 99, E-03080 Alicante, Spain. anabel.martinez@ua.es

PMID: 21145189
DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2010.10.021

Abstract

This article presents the first record of Hermetia illucens larvae on a human corpse in Spain (the second case report in Europe). Prepupae of H. illucens, and other insects, were recovered from the dead body of a 72-year-old man in an advanced stage of decomposition. The body was located in Reus (NE Spain), in October 1998. This article provides additional biological data on experimental studies and an update on the geographic distribution of this species in the Iberian Peninsula.

Publication types

Case Reports
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Aged
Animals
Diptera* / growth & development
Entomology
Feeding Behavior*
Forensic Anthropology
Humans
Larva
Male
Mediterranean Region
Postmortem Changes*
Spain
Swine
Temperature