Thesis Title: Investigating age-related intra-puparial characteristics of necrophagous fly pupae to improve the accuracy of post-mortem interval estimation
Supervisors: Dr Marise Heyns and Dr Calvin Mole

Forensic entomologists make use of insects associated with a corpse to determine the post-mortem interval (PMI). PMI estimation usually relies on the use of insect developmental data i.e. age, of the oldest insect specimen found at the scene. Dipteran species such as blow flies (Diptera: Calliphoridae) are commonly the first insects to colonise a body or carrion and are therefore generally used for ageing and subsequent PMI estimation. Historically, research involving the use of insect age in order to estimate PMI has largely focused on the larval life-stage. Roughly 50% of the blow fly’s immature life-stage is, however, spend in the puparial stage. Therefore, in cases where pupae are found, they represent the oldest specimen and should be used to estimate PMI. This main focus of this study is to obtain reliable morphological markers to aid in the determination of Diptera age during the puparial period and thereby advance the reliability of PMI estimation using pupae.