Immature stages of BritishCalliphoraandCynomya, with a re-evaluation of the taxonomic characters of larval Calliphoridae (Diptera)

Descriptions based on a detailed comparative study of the structural features of all three larval instars and puparia of the six British Calliphora and single Cynomya species are given. The results demonstrate that certain characters, singly or in combination, enable reliable species separation, while some features used previously are not reliable. In the first and second instars features of the cephalopharyngeal skeleton are used for species identification while in the third instar details of the spines of the segmental bands and the structure of the anterior spiracle are diagnostic. Keys to third instar larvae and to puparia of all the above species are given. Reliable species separation of these larvae will be of practical value in forensic and carcase ecological studies in the wide area of the northern Holarctic.