Influence of rain, malathion, sunlit and shaded habitats on the duration of development and molecular identification of chrysomya megacephala (fabricius) (diptera: calliphoridae) in Kelantan, Malaysia
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Date
2010
Authors
Mahat, Naji Arafat (Haji)
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Abstract
Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius) is the earliest and the most prevalent
necrophagous species infesting dead bodies in Malaysia and thus, may provide the best
estimate of minimum postmortem interval (PMI). In Malaysia, heavy and/or incessant rain
is commonplace occurrence and malathion is the most prevalent poison used for committing
suicide. In this research, the independent and combined influences of rain and presence of
malathion in whole rabbit carcasses decomposing in sunlit and shaded habitats on
oviposition and development of Ch. megacephala were studied over a period of 1-year in
Kelantan, Malaysia for providing baseline data for estimating PMI. Base sequence of CO 1
gene was' used for species identification an'd the influence o(malathion on the sequence of
CO I gene of Ch. megacephala was determined. The possible use of larvae and pupae of Ch.
megacephala for detecting malathion for diagnosing the cause of death especially when
visceral organs have liquified was also investigated. In general, rain, depending on its
intensity, delayed initial oviposition by 1-2 days and prolonged the pupation period by 1-3
days. The presence of malathion in the carcasses delayed initial oviposition by l-3 days and
prolonged the pupation period by 2-3 days. Presence of rain and malathion cumulatively
prolonged pupation period that extended to a maximum of 8 days. It was found that
malathion did not impede the accuracy of species identification while using the base
sequence of COl gene fragment amplified by C1-J-2495/Cl-N-2800 primers. The detection
of malathion in larvae and pupae per se may prove useful in diagnosing the cause of death,
since malathion is a poison as against the other drugs that are abused. These findings
deserve consideration while estimating PMI relating to decomposed bodies recovered in
Malaysia during both the less rainy and rainy months of a year as well as when malathion
poisoning is suspected.
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Keywords
Shaded habitats , Chrysomya megacephala , Calliphoridae