Discovery of Liopiophila varipes and Protopiophila contecta (Diptera: Piophilidae) from human cadavers

• Larvae of family Piophilidae were found on corpses in two forensic cases in Japan.
• Larvae were identified as Piophila casei and Liopiophila varipes in Case 1.
• Larvae were identified as Protopiophila contecta in Case 2.
• This is the first report of L. varipes and P. contecta larvae from human cadavers.

Here, we present two cases in which larvae of the family Piophilidae were detected in human cadavers. Both cases were found in Tochigi Prefecture, which is located in the middle of Honshu Island, Japan. Case 1: A corpse was found hanging in the sun lounge of a house. Dipteran larvae were collected from inside the spinal canal, despite no visible breach on the skin. The adults derived from these larvae were identified as Piophila casei (Linnaeus, 1758) and Liopiophila varipes (Meigen, 1830). Case 2: Skeletal human remains were found in a mountainous forest. Dipteran larvae were detected in the bone marrow cavity of a tibial section during autopsy. One adult fly derived from the larvae was identified as Protopiophila contecta (Walker, 1860). This is the first report of the identification of L. varipes and P. contecta in human cadavers.