Dataset for Investigating the effects of rearing conditions and generation divergence on cuticular hydrocarbon profiles of Lucilia sericata adult flies

Blowflies (Diptera: Calliphoridae) are known to be the most forensically important insects in forensic entomology as they are the first insects to arrive at decomposing remains, thus they have been used for decades to estimate the minimum post-mortem interval (PMImin). Accurate estimations of PMImin are essential for effective forensic investigations. However, challenges arise when multiple generations of adult flies are associated with decomposing remains, leading to lapses in PMImin predictions. To address this issue, the present study focuses on analysing cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) as a novel approach to identify insect species, estimating their age and determining the environment in which they develop. Previous studies have explored CHC analysis and contributed to the validation of the technique; nevertheless, generation differences and long-term rearing effects remain undetermined, especially their direct influence on CHC profiles. Therefore, this investigation examines the chemical profiles of first-generation strains reared in both outdoor and indoor settings to examine the impact of rearing conditions on <em>Lucilia sericata</em> adult flies. Furthermore, a comparative analysis between first- and fourth-generation adult flies is conducted to evaluate the long-term rearing effects in laboratory conditions and to explore intergeneration differences between the strains. The profiles were analysed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Samples were classified with a multivariate statistical method, principal component analysis (PCA) to visualise distinctions in the chemical profiles. The study contributes to the existing literature by revealing the profound influence of generation divergence and environmental conditions on CHC profiles. The comprehensive analysis presented in this study serves to enhance the understanding and application of CHC analysis in forensic entomology, ultimately advancing the reliability and precision of forensic investigations involving decomposing remains.

丽蝇（Blowflies，双翅目丽蝇科Calliphoridae）是法医昆虫学中法医价值最高的昆虫类群，因其为首批抵达腐败尸体的昆虫，数十年来被广泛用于估算最小死后间隔时间（PMImin）。准确的PMImin估算对于高效的法医调查至关重要。然而，当多代成虫与腐败尸体相关联时，会导致PMImin预测出现偏差。为解决这一问题，本研究聚焦于分析表皮碳氢化合物（CHCs），以此作为鉴定昆虫物种、估算虫龄并确定其发育环境的全新方法。既往研究已对CHC分析技术开展探索并验证了其可行性，但世代差异与长期饲养效应对CHC谱图的影响，尤其是二者的直接作用仍未明确。因此，本研究针对在室外与室内环境中饲养的初代品系丝光绿蝇（Lucilia sericata）成虫的化学谱图展开分析，以探究饲养条件对其的影响。此外，本研究还对初代与第四代成虫开展比较分析，以评估实验室条件下的长期饲养效应，并解析品系间的世代差异。研究采用气相色谱-质谱联用法（GC–MS）对化学谱图进行分析，并通过多元统计方法主成分分析（PCA）对样本进行分类，以可视化呈现谱图间的差异。本研究揭示了世代分化与环境条件对CHC谱图的显著影响，丰富了现有相关研究成果。本研究开展的全面分析有助于深化法医昆虫学领域对CHC分析技术的理解与应用，最终提升涉及腐败尸体的法医调查的可靠性与精准度。