Eur. J. Entomol. 122: 141-146, 2025 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2025.017

The Oriental latrine fly Chrysomya megacephala (Diptera: Calliphoridae) has arrived in Eastern EuropeShort Communication

Alexandru-Mihai PINTILIOAIE ORCID...1, 2, Silviu PETROVAN ORCID...3, 4
1 Laboratory of Interdisciplinary Research on the Marine Environment and Marine Terrestrial Atmosphere (RECENT AIR), Al. I. Cuza University of Iasi, "Prof. Dr. Ioan Borcea" Marine Biological Station, Nicolae Titulescu str. no. 163, Agigea, Constanþa, Romania; e-mail: alexandrupintilioaie@gmail.com
2 Doctoral School of Biology, Faculty of Biology, "Alexandru Ioan Cuza" University of Iași, Carol I Avenue no. 20A, 700505 Iași, Romania
3 Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, The David Attenborough Building, Cambridge, CB2 3QZ, UK; e-mail: sop21@cam.ac.uk
4 People's Trust for Endangered Species, 3 Cloisters House, 8 Battersea Park Road, London, SW8 4BG, UK

The Oriental latrine fly, Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius) (Diptera: Calliphoridae), is a rapidly expanding species, likely to become one of the most widely used species in forensic entomology in the near future, as it is currently recorded on every continent except Antarctica. In Europe, it has been confirmed only from a few Mediterranean countries (Portugal, Spain and Malta), together with the closely related and also expanding Chrysomya albiceps. Our study confirms that Chrysomya megacephala has arrived in Eastern Europe, with adult individuals of both sexes recorded during surveys and trapping in a nature reserve along the Black Sea coast in Romania. We present initial data on the overall complex assemblage of native and non-native sarcosaprophagous Diptera at this site and highlight important knowledge gaps. Given its forensic relevance and potential health risks, further investigations into its distribution, ecology, and invasion pathways in Europe are required, particularly as climate change may support its continued expansion into Central Europe.

Keywords: Blowfly, climate change, forensic entomology, pathogen carriers, Romania, species distribution

Received: February 20, 2025; Revised: June 25, 2025; Accepted: June 25, 2025; Published online: July 10, 2025  Show citation

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PINTILIOAIE, A., & PETROVAN, S. (2025). The Oriental latrine fly Chrysomya megacephala (Diptera: Calliphoridae) has arrived in Eastern Europe. EJE, 122, Article 141-146. https://doi.org/10.14411/eje.2025.017
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