Blowflies Reared in Laboratory Conditions from Maggots Collected on Rat (Rattus norvegicus Berkenhout, 1769, Var Wistar) Carrions in Yaoundé (Cameroon, Central Africa)

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.