The Calliphoridae of Forensic Significance
- 1st Edition - November 7, 2025
- Latest edition
- Editors: David B. Rivers, John R. Wallace
- Language: English
The Calliphoridae of Forensic Significance offers a focused and in-depth discussion on the biology, ecology, and behavior of blow flies relevant to medico-legal entomolog… Read more
The Calliphoridae of Forensic Significance offers a focused and in-depth discussion on the biology, ecology, and behavior of blow flies relevant to medico-legal entomology in North America. Moving from introductory information to advanced applications, this book covers recent developments, current challenges, and research needs for the calliphorids most relevant to forensic entomology and how these topics can influence the use of these insects in the court of law. The book will be useful for students enrolled in forensic entomology, biological forensics, forensic anthropology, and related course work, as well as attorneys and law enforcement that utilize entomological evidence in casework.
- Summarizes past, present, and future research involving Calliphoridae of forensic significance
- Establishes linkages from basic research to applications in forensic entomology and carrion ecology
- Provides in-depth coverage of the taxonomy, diversity, biology, ecology, behavior, genetics, evolution, and physical evidence pertaining to forensically significant calliphorids
- Provides taxonomic and photographic keys of larvae and adults of forensic significance in North America to aid in identification
Practitioners and researchers engaged in forensic entomology or related disciplines that directly or indirectly rely on Calliphoridae or other Diptera as subjects of investigation, Undergraduates and graduate students enrolled in entomology, forensic entomology, biological forensics or related course work, as well as attorneys and law enforcement that utilize entomological evidence in casework
1. Introduction
•Purpose/rationale of book
•Why Calliphoridae are worthy of book
•Calliphoridae in Pop Culture
•Evolution of necrophagy in Calliphoridae and how this makes them invaluable to forensic investigations
•Challenges in forensic entomology
•Organization of book
2. Diversity and Taxonomy of Forensically Significant Calliphoridae
•Common species of forensic significance to myiasis associated with neglect and abuse
•Distribution based on geographic regions of US and Canada
•Taxonomic classification of larvae and adults
•Photographic keys of North American species
•Life Histories of CalliphoridaeTypical lifecycles
•Common characteristsics that make calliphords “ideal” for necrophagy/ use in forensic investigations
3. Evolution of Calliphoridae
•Existence to dominance in carrion communities
•Adaptions for living with stress
•Necrophagy and parasitism
4. Genetics of Calliphoridae
•Genetic relationships between species of forensic importance/population genetic structure
•Mitochondrial genomics
•Applications for forensic entomology, including species identification, age determination, geographic location
•Reference genes for functional studies
5. Behavioral adaptions of larval Calliphoridae
•Adaptations of larvae
•Formation of maggot masses
•Nutrition
•Development
•Larval-mass effect
•Chemical communication
•Quorum sensing
6. Behavioral adaptions of adult Calliphoridae
•Chemical communication of adults
•Foraging behavior
•Feeding and oviposition
•Reproductive strategies
7. Temperature influences on growth and survival of Calliphoridae
•Zones of tolerance
•Critical thermal limits
•Overwintering strategies
•Climate change and the PMI – are current developmental thresholds and development data still relevant?
8. Calliphoridae in decomposition ecology
•Bacterial interactions with Calliphoridae
•Ecological role of Calliphoridae to human and carrion decomposition
9. Calliphoridae in community succession
•Calliphoridae community structure across urban and rural habitats
•Patterns of Calliphoridae succession on based on season, location, carrion type
10. Calliphoridae in case studies
•Value of case studies to forensic entomology
•Calliphoridae evidence associated with homicides and suspicious deaths
•Cases involving burnt remains
•Cases involving indoor decomposition
•Cases involving forensic entomotoxicology
•Cases involving floating remains in aquatic systems
11. Calliphoridae in facultative myiasis
•Evolution of myiasis in Calliphoridae
•Linkage of myiasis and necrophagy in Calliphoridae
•Rise of cases in domesticated animals
12. Microbiome of Calliphoridae
•Introduction to microbiomes of insects
•Thanatomicrobiome and epinecroticmicrobiome of adult Calliphoridae
•Microbiome of larvae and maggot masses
•Seasonal variations of Calliphoridae microbiomes
13. Pattern evidence produced by Calliphoridae
•Pattern evidence in the realm of forensic science
•Pattern evidence in forensic entomology
•Postmortem artifacts produced by Calliphoridae on human remains
•Insect stains produced by adult Calliphoridae
•Stains produced by larval Calliphoridae
•Purpose/rationale of book
•Why Calliphoridae are worthy of book
•Calliphoridae in Pop Culture
•Evolution of necrophagy in Calliphoridae and how this makes them invaluable to forensic investigations
•Challenges in forensic entomology
•Organization of book
2. Diversity and Taxonomy of Forensically Significant Calliphoridae
•Common species of forensic significance to myiasis associated with neglect and abuse
•Distribution based on geographic regions of US and Canada
•Taxonomic classification of larvae and adults
•Photographic keys of North American species
•Life Histories of CalliphoridaeTypical lifecycles
•Common characteristsics that make calliphords “ideal” for necrophagy/ use in forensic investigations
3. Evolution of Calliphoridae
•Existence to dominance in carrion communities
•Adaptions for living with stress
•Necrophagy and parasitism
4. Genetics of Calliphoridae
•Genetic relationships between species of forensic importance/population genetic structure
•Mitochondrial genomics
•Applications for forensic entomology, including species identification, age determination, geographic location
•Reference genes for functional studies
5. Behavioral adaptions of larval Calliphoridae
•Adaptations of larvae
•Formation of maggot masses
•Nutrition
•Development
•Larval-mass effect
•Chemical communication
•Quorum sensing
6. Behavioral adaptions of adult Calliphoridae
•Chemical communication of adults
•Foraging behavior
•Feeding and oviposition
•Reproductive strategies
7. Temperature influences on growth and survival of Calliphoridae
•Zones of tolerance
•Critical thermal limits
•Overwintering strategies
•Climate change and the PMI – are current developmental thresholds and development data still relevant?
8. Calliphoridae in decomposition ecology
•Bacterial interactions with Calliphoridae
•Ecological role of Calliphoridae to human and carrion decomposition
9. Calliphoridae in community succession
•Calliphoridae community structure across urban and rural habitats
•Patterns of Calliphoridae succession on based on season, location, carrion type
10. Calliphoridae in case studies
•Value of case studies to forensic entomology
•Calliphoridae evidence associated with homicides and suspicious deaths
•Cases involving burnt remains
•Cases involving indoor decomposition
•Cases involving forensic entomotoxicology
•Cases involving floating remains in aquatic systems
11. Calliphoridae in facultative myiasis
•Evolution of myiasis in Calliphoridae
•Linkage of myiasis and necrophagy in Calliphoridae
•Rise of cases in domesticated animals
12. Microbiome of Calliphoridae
•Introduction to microbiomes of insects
•Thanatomicrobiome and epinecroticmicrobiome of adult Calliphoridae
•Microbiome of larvae and maggot masses
•Seasonal variations of Calliphoridae microbiomes
13. Pattern evidence produced by Calliphoridae
•Pattern evidence in the realm of forensic science
•Pattern evidence in forensic entomology
•Postmortem artifacts produced by Calliphoridae on human remains
•Insect stains produced by adult Calliphoridae
•Stains produced by larval Calliphoridae
- Edition: 1
- Latest edition
- Published: November 7, 2025
- Language: English
DR
David B. Rivers
Dr. David B. Rivers is a Professor and Founding Chair in the Department of Forensic Science at Loyola University Maryland. Dr. Rivers is trained as an insect physiologist, cellular parasitologist, and forensic entomologist. He developed the forensic science undergraduate program and graduate programs in Forensic Pattern Evidence (MS) and Biological Forensics (MS) at Loyola. Dr. Rivers is a member of the Entomological Society of America, American Academy of Forensic Sciences, International Association of Identification, International Association of Bloodstain Pattern Analysts, Council of Forensic Science Educators, International Veterinary Forensic Science Association, Cold Case Foundation and Super Sleuths. He has published over 80 peer-reviewed articles, reviews, and book chapters and is also co-author of the critically acclaimed textbook The Science of Forensic Entomology. Dr. Rivers’ research examines basic and applied questions involving necrophagous flies and parasitic wasps as they relate to legal investigations. His current work has been focused on characterization of pattern evidence produced by necrophagous Diptera.
Affiliations and expertise
Professor, Department of Biology, Loyola University Maryland, USAJW
John R. Wallace
Dr. John R. Wallace is a Professor Emeritus in the Department of Biology at Millersville University, Millersville, PA. Dr. Wallace is a trained medical entomologist who maintained 25 years of federal and state funding to study the population dynamics of mosquitoes and other biting insects related to arthropod-borne disease vector ecology as they relate to the control and prevention of disease in urban and rural environments in temperate and tropical regions of the world. Dr. Wallace is one of 19 active Board Certified Forensic Entomologists in North America and a Diplomate with the American Board of Forensic Entomologists as well as a Fellow in the American Academy of Forensic Science. He is a co-founder of the North American Forensic Entomology Association. He has published over 100 peer-reviewed articles, reviews, and book chapters and is co-editor of the textbook Wildlife Forensics: Methods and Applications. His other research interests extend into the field of forensic entomology, specifically how aquatic insects and plants can be utilized to estimate a post-mortem submersion interval.
Affiliations and expertise
Professor, Department of Biology, Millersville University, USA