Introduction:

L. eximia is a species that shows a wide geographical distribution in Costa Rica, whose populations are stable throughout the year. The biological characteristics of L. eximia allow it to be considered as a potential forensic indicator for the calculation of the minimum post mortem interval (PMI).

Objective:

To compare the PMI calculated by a thermal accumulation model with L. eximia (Diptera: Calliphoridae), with the PMI in corpses of pigs (Sus scrofa).

Methods:

Two pig corpses were exposed in a tropical premontane moist forest. Larvae of L. eximia were collected from the pig carcasses at 78, 144 and 192 hours after the moment of death, and their development was promoted under controlled conditions. With the data generated, thermal back-projections were made to calculate the PMI.

Results:

L. eximia required a total of 7 236.50 accumulated degree hours (ADH) to complete its life cycle. The IPMs calculated by the thermal accumulation model were 112.56, 153.60, and 104.64 hours, respectively. Only the intermediate value did not present statistically significant differences with the known time of death (p>0.05).

Conclusions:

The thermal accumulation model using L. eximia as a forensic indicator provided accurate information about the PMI only when samples were collected at 144 hours, which indicates that this method may be accurate and useful during the first stages of cadaveric decomposition.

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