Occurrence of necrophagous flies of forensic importance in medico-legal cases in Tamil Nadu State, India

Abstract

Background: The present study is based on the necrophagous fly samples collected from 24 medico-legal cases between the year 2011 and 2018 in Tamil Nadu State, India. The fly life stages were identified based on morphological features. Pre-autopsy condition of the human corpse colonized by necrophagous flies and indoor/outdoor occurrence of the flies were recorded. Results: Chrysomya megacephala, Chrysomya rufifacies, Sarcophaga spp, and Musca domestica life stages were collected from the human corpses. Chrysomya megacephala was the most prevalent (70.8%) insects of forensic importance and found both in indoor and outdoor environments. Drowned and burnt human corpses were found to be only colonized by C. megacephala. Chrysomya rufifacies was found only in outdoor environments and Sarcophaga spp was found only in indoor environment. There was a fair agreement between the percentage occurrence of necrophagous flies in human corpse in the present study in Tamil Nadu State and percentage historical occurrence of necrophagous flies in human corpse in India. Conclusions: Chrysomya megacephala was the predominant blowfly species found to colonize corpses in Tamil Nadu State, India. Chrysomya megacephala was the only blowfly species found to colonize both burnt and floating corpses and corpses located indoor and outdoor.