Development of Flies of Forensic Importance from Three Genera of the Family Calliphoridae (Diptera) in Guatemala under Controlled Conditions

Blowflies are important since their nature allows them to feed and/or colonize animal and human cadavers, so these insects can be used in forensic investigations. The objective of this study was to determine the life cycle and variations in size over time of the immature stages of Lucilia sericata, Cochliomyia macellaria, Chrysomya megacephala and Chrysomya rufifacies under controlled conditions in Guatemala. This involved rearing 200 eggs of each species per replicate at 26°C, 60–70% relative humidity and 12 : 12 h (Light : Darkness). The accumulated degree-hours were 464.4 for L. sericata, 276.5 for Chrysomya rufifacies, 304.4 for Chrysomya megacephala, and 270.9 for Cochliomyia macellaria. This latter species had the shortest duration at the egg stage (12.8 h) and L3 stage (88 h), L. sericata had the shortest duration as L1 (16 h), Cochliomyia macellaria and L. sericata showed the shortest duration as L2 (22.7 h), and Chrysomya rufifacies had the shortest period as pupa (113.4 h). Regarding size variation through time, L. sericata demonstrated the fastest growth, while Chrysomya rufifacies was the slowest. Chrysomya megacephala and Cochliomyia macellaria had similar growth rate. These data are of relevance when estimating PMI and are obtained for the first time for the species mentioned in forensic entomology in Guatemala.