New Species of Flesh Fly Discovered in a Human Corpse

Posted on July 20, 2016

Scientists have discovered three new species of flesh flies in Brazil and Argentina. Flies from the family Sarcophagidae often deposit eggs in the wounds of animals. Two of the new species were discovered when already collected specimens in museum collections were re-examined. Scientists also collected fly sarcophagid fly larvae and adults from the bodies of animals. One of the new species was found in a human corpse.

Entomology Today reports that entomologists came and collected fly larvae from a partially buried dead body found in the Villavicencio Natural Reserve in Argentia. They then grew the larvae to adulthood. The flies were determined to be a new species, Loptilocnema delfinado. The researchers say the "delfinado" portion of the name is an "Argentinean slang in reference to specimens that were obtained from human corpse."

The researchers say in the study that the new species has potential forensic importance and could be used to estimate time since death for bodies discovered in the Monte desert. A research paper on the study was published here in the Journal of Medical Entomology.



More from Science Space & Robots