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. 2024 Feb 5;33(1):e012323.
doi: 10.1590/S1984-29612024006. eCollection 2024.

Impact of aluminum phosphide on development of the forensically important fly, Chrysomya albiceps (Diptera: Calliphoridae)

Mahran Tony  1 , Abdullah Zahra  2 , Nora Zeidan Abdellah  3 , Abdelbaset Mohamed Ahmed Abdelreheem  1 , Mohammad Reda Kamel Abdel-Samad  4
Affiliations

Impact of aluminum phosphide on development of the forensically important fly, Chrysomya albiceps (Diptera: Calliphoridae)

Mahran Tony et al. Rev Bras Parasitol Vet. .

Abstract
in English, Portuguese

Chrysomya albiceps (Calliphoridae) is among the earliest successional fauna on human and animal cadavers. Some immature Calliphoridae can be useful for determination of post-mortem interval. Toxins, particularly pesticides, can affect the rate of insect growth. Aluminum phosphide (AlP) is an affordable insecticide that has not been adequately entomotoxicologically evaluated. So, the impact of AlP on the developmental rate of different stages of C. albiceps was investigated. Larvae of C. albiceps were reared on the rabbit carcasses containing AlP as a treated group, and distilled water as a control group. The substances were administered by a gastric tube. The duration needed for development of C. albiceps stages was documented. Body length, width and weight of larvae were measured after 24, 48, 72 and 96 h from egg hatching. The duration of development increased significantly in the treated group compared to the control group. Larvae body measurements were significantly smaller in the treated group than in the control group. Therefore, it was demonstrated that AlP significantly influences the size of C. albiceps larvae and extends their development. During forensic application, interpretation of C. albiceps data should be used with caution when aluminum phosphide may be the cause of death.

Chrysomya albiceps (Calliphoridae) está entre as primeiras espécies a colonizar cadáveres humanos e animais. Alguns Calliphoridae imaturos podem ser úteis para a determinação do intervalo “post-mortem”. Toxinas, particularmente pesticidas, podem afetar a taxa de crescimento de insetos. O fosfeto de alumínio (AlP) é um inseticida acessível que não foi adequadamente avaliado entomotoxicologicamente. Assim, o impacto do AlP na taxa de desenvolvimento de diferentes estágios de C. albiceps foi investigado. Larvas de C. albiceps foram criadas em carcaças de coelho, contendo AlP como grupo tratado e água destilada como grupo controle. As substâncias foram administradas por sonda gástrica. A duração necessária para o desenvolvimento dos estágios de C. albiceps foi documentada. O comprimento, largura e peso do corpo das larvas foram medidos após 24, 48, 72 e 96 horas da eclosão dos ovos. A duração do desenvolvimento foi significativamente aumentada no grupo tratado, em comparação com o grupo controle. As medidas corporais das larvas foram significativamente menores no grupo tratado do que no grupo controle. Portanto, foi demonstrado que o AlP influencia significativamente o tamanho das larvas de C. albiceps e prolonga seu desenvolvimento. Durante a aplicação forense, a interpretação dos dados de C. albiceps deve ser usada com cautela, quando o fosfeto de alumínio puder ser a causa da morte.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest: The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Influence of aluminum phosphide (AlP) on timeline development of Chrysomya albiceps in rabbit carcasses.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Length of Chrysomya albiceps larvae developed in carcasses of rabbits previously treated with aluminum phosphide (AlP). *** p < 0.001.
Figure 3
Figure 3. Width of Chrysomya albiceps larvae developed in carcasses of rabbits previously treated with aluminum phosphide (AlP). *** p < 0.001.
Figure 4
Figure 4. Weight of Chrysomya albiceps larvae developed in carcasses of rabbits previously treated with aluminum phosphide (AlP). * p < 0.05; ** p < 0.01; *** p < 0.001.
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