Standardization of a Culture Medium for Megaselia scalaris (Diptera: Phoridae) for Entomotoxicological Studies. 2020

Luz Alejandra Castillo-Alanis, and Ana Edith González-Hernández, and Alejandra Quijano-Mateos, and Carlos Salvador Pedraza-Lara, and Alexa Villavicencio-Queijeiro, and María Elena Bravo-Gómez
Laboratorio de Toxicología y Química Forense, Ciencia Forense, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. ZC, Mexico City, Mexico.

One of the problems faced by entomotoxicological studies is the large variability of experimental set-ups and the absence of harmonized protocols to compare the data and results obtained by different research groups. Among the wide range of influencing factors on the development and growth of insects, food substrates are remarkably relevant. This article proposes a standardized growth medium to be employed in future entomotoxicological studies on the scuttle fly Megaselia scalaris (Loew, 1866), (Diptera: Phoridae). This species plays an important role in forensic cases related to the decomposition of human remains found indoors and/or in concealed environments, because of their small size and ability to enter these locations at an earlier time than many other insects. Because of these traits, it can be used for the estimation of the minimum postmortem interval (mPMI). We achieved the formulation of a medium that overcomes two traditional disadvantages of culture media used to raise necrophagous Diptera, the unknown media composition and different growth rates from those reared in tissue. The proposed medium is a known composition formulation, free of xenobiotics, in which M. scalaris shows growth rates and development times similar to those obtained when it is reared in tissue. This new diet might be used in future studies to test the effect of substances of forensic interest (prescription or illicit drugs, poisons, etc.) on the larval development time, helping to adjust the estimation of mPMI based on the presence of such substances. Additionally, the formulation revealed some interesting data about nutritional requirements of this species.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007814 Larva Wormlike or grublike stage, following the egg in the life cycle of insects, worms, and other metamorphosing animals. Maggots,Tadpoles,Larvae,Maggot,Tadpole
D012015 Reference Standards A basis of value established for the measure of quantity, weight, extent or quality, e.g. weight standards, standard solutions, methods, techniques, and procedures used in diagnosis and therapy. Standard Preparations,Standards, Reference,Preparations, Standard,Standardization,Standards,Preparation, Standard,Reference Standard,Standard Preparation,Standard, Reference
D003470 Culture Media Any liquid or solid preparation made specifically for the growth, storage, or transport of microorganisms or other types of cells. The variety of media that exist allow for the culturing of specific microorganisms and cell types, such as differential media, selective media, test media, and defined media. Solid media consist of liquid media that have been solidified with an agent such as AGAR or GELATIN. Media, Culture
D004175 Diptera An order of the class Insecta. Wings, when present, number two and distinguish Diptera from other so-called flies, while the halteres, or reduced hindwings, separate Diptera from other insects with one pair of wings. The order includes the families Calliphoridae, Oestridae, Phoridae, SARCOPHAGIDAE, Scatophagidae, Sciaridae, SIMULIIDAE, Tabanidae, Therevidae, Trypetidae, CERATOPOGONIDAE; CHIRONOMIDAE; CULICIDAE; DROSOPHILIDAE; GLOSSINIDAE; MUSCIDAE; TEPHRITIDAE; and PSYCHODIDAE. The larval form of Diptera species are called maggots (see LARVA). Flies, True,Flies,Dipteras,Fly,Fly, True,True Flies,True Fly
D000081230 Forensic Entomology The use of insects and related arthropods that inhabit decomposing corpses or remains in the conduct of medico-legal or medico-criminal investigations.
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia

Related Publications

Luz Alejandra Castillo-Alanis, and Ana Edith González-Hernández, and Alejandra Quijano-Mateos, and Carlos Salvador Pedraza-Lara, and Alexa Villavicencio-Queijeiro, and María Elena Bravo-Gómez
January 2003, Micron (Oxford, England : 1993),
Luz Alejandra Castillo-Alanis, and Ana Edith González-Hernández, and Alejandra Quijano-Mateos, and Carlos Salvador Pedraza-Lara, and Alexa Villavicencio-Queijeiro, and María Elena Bravo-Gómez
July 2002, Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz,
Luz Alejandra Castillo-Alanis, and Ana Edith González-Hernández, and Alejandra Quijano-Mateos, and Carlos Salvador Pedraza-Lara, and Alexa Villavicencio-Queijeiro, and María Elena Bravo-Gómez
January 2005, Micron (Oxford, England : 1993),
Luz Alejandra Castillo-Alanis, and Ana Edith González-Hernández, and Alejandra Quijano-Mateos, and Carlos Salvador Pedraza-Lara, and Alexa Villavicencio-Queijeiro, and María Elena Bravo-Gómez
May 1989, Journal of medical entomology,
Luz Alejandra Castillo-Alanis, and Ana Edith González-Hernández, and Alejandra Quijano-Mateos, and Carlos Salvador Pedraza-Lara, and Alexa Villavicencio-Queijeiro, and María Elena Bravo-Gómez
June 1988, The Journal of communicable diseases,
Luz Alejandra Castillo-Alanis, and Ana Edith González-Hernández, and Alejandra Quijano-Mateos, and Carlos Salvador Pedraza-Lara, and Alexa Villavicencio-Queijeiro, and María Elena Bravo-Gómez
February 2010, Parasitology research,
Luz Alejandra Castillo-Alanis, and Ana Edith González-Hernández, and Alejandra Quijano-Mateos, and Carlos Salvador Pedraza-Lara, and Alexa Villavicencio-Queijeiro, and María Elena Bravo-Gómez
March 2014, Forensic science international,
Luz Alejandra Castillo-Alanis, and Ana Edith González-Hernández, and Alejandra Quijano-Mateos, and Carlos Salvador Pedraza-Lara, and Alexa Villavicencio-Queijeiro, and María Elena Bravo-Gómez
January 2013, Journal of medical entomology,
Luz Alejandra Castillo-Alanis, and Ana Edith González-Hernández, and Alejandra Quijano-Mateos, and Carlos Salvador Pedraza-Lara, and Alexa Villavicencio-Queijeiro, and María Elena Bravo-Gómez
March 1987, Journal of morphology,
Luz Alejandra Castillo-Alanis, and Ana Edith González-Hernández, and Alejandra Quijano-Mateos, and Carlos Salvador Pedraza-Lara, and Alexa Villavicencio-Queijeiro, and María Elena Bravo-Gómez
November 2019, Science & justice : journal of the Forensic Science Society,
Copied contents to your clipboard!