Life post-death: Colonization of a bat carcass by Microcerella halli (Engel, 1931) (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) in a Neotropical cave

Abstract

Caves are habitats characterized by low light or total darkness, whose fauna is largely composed of animals that adapt to dark environments, such as bats and many arthropods. Here, we present the first record of bat carcass colonization by Diptera larvae in a cave in the Neotropics. Twenty-one adult specimens of Microcerella halli (Sarcophagidae), seven males and 14 females, emerged from larvae collected in a carcass of Pteronotus gymnonotus (Mormoopidae) found in a twilight zone, about 15 m from the cave entrance. The mean time between carcass collection and adult emergence was 17.99 ± 0.44 days. As colonization by M. halli only occurs after death, we estimated the mean duration of the pupal stage – by recording daily pupation and emergence data – and attempted a preliminary estimate of the post-mortem interval, which indicated that larviposition occurred at least 24 h before carcass collection. Furthermore, we discussed the fact that M. halli females can find and colonize carcasses in low light environments, reinforcing the forensic potential of the species.