Larviposition
Definition
The act of depositing live larvae rather than eggs. Flesh flies are larviparous: the egg hatches internally, and a first instar larva is placed directly onto the resource. The absence of an external egg stage must be accounted for in PMI back-calculation.
- Definition type
- Reproductive behaviour, not oviposition
- Example taxa
- Flesh flies (Sarcophagidae)
- Life stage deposited
- First instar larva
- PMI implication
- No egg-stage duration to add to development timeline
Common questions
Why does larviposition complicate PMI back-calculation?+
Standard blow fly development charts start the clock at egg deposition, but a larviparous species skips that stage entirely, so applying an egg-based chart to a flesh fly case would add a nonexistent egg period and overestimate the postmortem interval.
How can an examiner tell a colonizing species is larviparous versus oviparous?+
Species identification is the deciding factor: flesh flies (Sarcophagidae) are known larviparous colonizers, while most blow flies (Calliphoridae) lay eggs, so correct taxonomic identification of the recovered specimens determines which development model applies.
Related terms
- Calliphoridae
- The blowfly family: metallic-coloured flies that are typically the earliest colonisers of exposed remains. Forensically important genera include Calliphora, Lucilia, Chrysomya, and...
- Muscidae
- A large family including house flies (Musca domestica) and stable flies (Stomoxys calcitrans). Non-metallic, typically dull grey or brown. Secondary or later...
- Oviposition
- The act of laying eggs. Blow flies oviposit directly onto remains, choosing moist, sheltered sites such as body orifices and wounds. Temperature...
- Sarcophagidae
- The flesh fly family. Grey or black with longitudinal thoracic stripes and a chequered abdomen. Larviparous (deposit live larvae), so colonisation appears...
- Succession
- The predictable sequence of different insect species colonising remains as decomposition progresses. Early stages attract blow flies; later stages attract beetles, moths,...