• Title/Summary/Keyword: Forensic entomology

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The Influence of Skinning a Carcass on Insect Succession and Decomposition

  • Yoon, Joo-Hyuk
    • Proceedings of the National Institute of Ecology of the Republic of Korea
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    • v.3 no.4
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    • pp.204-211
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    • 2022
  • Forensic entomology is a field of study that includes the succession of insects attracted to and found on cadavers. One of its main focusses is estimating post-mortem interval (PMI) based on the growth stage of insects found in and around human cadavers. In many countries, the diversity of insect occurrence is studied in relation to the environmental conditions a cadaver may be exposed to or the effects of different clothes. In this study, changes in the decomposition process and differences in insect succession were investigated by comparing skinned and intact water deer carcasses. Five orders, 15 families, and 21 species of insects were identified, most of which were Dipteran and Coleopteran. The skinned carcass decomposed more rapidly than the intact carcass, which was linked to differences in insect succession. The difference in the decomposition rate and insect succession according to the external conditions of the carcass can be used as basic data for estimating the PMI of the carcass and setting the forensic entomological indicator species.

Forensically Important Blow Flies Chrysomya pinguis, C. villeneuvi, and Lucilia porphyrina (Diptera: Calliphoridae) in a Case of Human Remains in Thailand

  • Monum, Tawatchai;Sukontason, Kabkaew L.;Sribanditmongkol, Pongruk;Sukontason, Kom;Samerjai, Chutharat;Limsopatham, Kwankamol;Suwannayod, Suttida;Klong-klaew, Tunwadee;Wannasan, Anchalee
    • Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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    • v.55 no.1
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    • pp.71-76
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    • 2017
  • This is the first study to report Chrysomya pinguis (Walker) and Lucilia porphyrina (Walker) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) as forensically important blow fly species from human cadavers in Thailand, in addition to Chrysomya villeneuvi (Patton) already known in Thailand. In 2016, a fully decomposed body of an unknown adult male was discovered in a high mountainous forest during winter in Chiang Mai province. The remains were infested heavily with thousands of blow fly larvae feeding simultaneously on them. Morphological identification of adults reared from the larvae, and molecular analysis based on sequencing of 1,247 bp partial mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene (CO1) of the larvae and puparia, confirmed the above mentioned 3 species. The approving forensic fly evidence by molecular approach was described for the first time in Thailand. Moreover, neighbor-joining phylogenetic analysis of the CO1 was performed to compare the relatedness of the species, thereby affirming the accuracy of identification. As species of entomofauna varies among cases in different geographic and climatic circumstances, C. pinguis and L. porphyrina were added to the list of Thai forensic entomology caseworks, including colonizers of human remains in open, high mountainous areas during winter. Further research should focus on these 3 species, for which no developmental data are currently available.

Diversity on Necrophagous Insect of the Water Deer Carcass Decaying (고라니 사체 부패 진행에 따른 시식성 곤충 다양성에 관한 연구)

  • Yoon, Joo Hyuk;Choi, Mi-Jung;Park, Jong Kyun
    • Korean journal of applied entomology
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    • v.61 no.1
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    • pp.239-248
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    • 2022
  • Forensic entomology is a study that purposes at field reconstruction through insects attracted to carcasses, and has been mainly studied using carcasses such as a pig and chicken. Therefore, this study was conducted to find out if there is a singularity by using the carcass of water deer with different conditions and shapes of the hair quality and to find out the appearance of a necrophagous insect. The water deer carcass was received from the Jeollanam-do Wildlife Rescue Management Center and research was conducted. From May 19 2021 to July 2 2021, the decay progress of the carcass was observed for about 6 weeks. A total of 51 species of 21 families in 4 orders of insects were collected. Even after the carcass completely decays, even at the stage where the activity of other insects is not observed, insects such as Dermestidae and Tenebrionidae are collected from the hairs and leather of water deer carcass until the last. It was confirmed that insects of the order Coleoptera other than Diptera can be used as forensic entomological data related to the decay of carcasses with fur.

A Study on the Arthropod Succession in Exposed Pig Carrion (돼지 사체에 출현하는 곤충상의 천이에 대한 연구)

  • Jung, Jae-Boung;Yoon, Myung-Hee
    • Journal of Life Science
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    • v.18 no.10
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    • pp.1400-1409
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    • 2008
  • This study was carried out to offer the forensic entomological evidence to estimate the postmortem interval (PMI) based on the decomposing state of the pig carrion and the arthropod succession in exposed carrion. A total of 48 species of 28 families belonging to 7 orders were collected, and dominant insect varied with season, i. e., the Calliphoridae in March, May and October, both of the Calliphoridae and the Staphylinidae in July, and the Staphylinidae in September. The Calliphoridae was the first visiting insect throughout all the seasons as well as the index insect dominant in the early decomposing stage. The index insect in the later decomposing stage, however, was the Staphylinidae throughout all the seasons except in March. In March, the Muscidae was dominant, presumably because the flies consistently arrived throughout the extended period of decomposition of the carrion owing to the low ambient temperature of the season. In this connection, it is known that not only the decomposition stage of the carrion and the carrion-associated insect but also the climatological condition of the region have to be taken into consideration to estimate the PMI.

Dipteran Comparison on Carcasses by Decomposition at Different Abandoned Site (사체의 유기장소별 부패진행에 따른 발생 파리류 비교)

  • Lim, Chae-Seak;Jo, Tae-Ho;Lee, Dong-Woon;Choo, Young-Moo;Choo, Ho-Yul
    • Korean journal of applied entomology
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    • v.51 no.3
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    • pp.191-205
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    • 2012
  • Because insect visitors was different depending on decomposition stage, dipterans occurred on chicken carcasses depending on postmortem intervals were compared by abandoned sites and decomposition from a serial study on arthropod occurrence from carcasses as forensic indicator. Species occurrence and decomposition of carcasses were different depending on abandoned sites (forest hill, open field, stream, greenhouse and roof), seasons (spring, summer, fall and winter), and situation (burying and non-burying). Development of carcass decomposition was faster at all sites in summer, carcass in greenhouse in winter, and unburied carcasses. Although visiting time of blow flies (Calliphoridae) (Phaenicia sericata, Lucilia illustris, Lucilia sp., Chrysomyia pinguis, and Chrysomyia megacephala) was different depending on abandoned season, their adults were generally collected from carcasses within 2 days. However, there were no visited flies at fresh stage of buried carcasses. The flesh flies (Sarcophagidae) were collected from all sites and seasons, and much faster from unburied carcasses than buried carcasses. Those were collected earlier from carcasses in greenhouse than other sites and occurrence was also shorter. In greenhouse, occurrence time of flesh flies were different depending on season; spring and summer - from fresh to active decay stage, fall - fresh to active decay stage, and winter - advanced decay to remains stage. Calliphora lata, Tricerotopyga calliphoroides, and Aldrichana grahami were dominant species and occurrences were different from other flies. These flies were active mainly from fresh to active stage. Larvae of sarcophagid flies were occurred earlier than those of calliphorid flies on buried carcasses.

Arthropod Succession and Decomposition Patterns of Pig Carrions Varying with the Exposed Extent of the Carrions (돼지사체의 노출 정도에 따른 곤충상과 사체의 부패 패턴에 대한 연구)

  • Jung, Jae-Bong;Yoon, Myung-Hee
    • Journal of Life Science
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    • v.21 no.8
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    • pp.1168-1175
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    • 2011
  • This study was carried out to offer forensic entomological evidence to estimate the post mortem interval (PMI) based on the arthropod succession in pig carrions and carrion decomposition patterns varying with the exposed extent of the carrions. Four carrions, exposed, wrapped, covered or shaded, were placed in an open grassland near the Nakdong-river in Busan in August, 2010. It was found that the first visiting insect was Chrysomyia megacephala among a total of 20 species of 15 families belonging to 7 orders of Insecta, and that four species were useful indicators of the decomposition stage of the carrion: C. megacephala for I~V stages; a species of Sepsidae, Creophilus maxillosus and a species of Carabidae for III~V stages. It was also found that the more the exposed extent of exposure of carrions, the higher the rate of decomposition of carrions, i. e. the time for decomposition of carrions were 7days for the exposed carrion, 10days for the covered one, 13days for the shaded one, and 15days for the wrapped one. This result seems to be related to the differences in the weight loss of carrions caused by strong rains during the research period and by the accessibility of insects to the carrions; both are strongly affected by the exposed extent of the carrions. Accordingly, it was suggested that the exposed extent of the carrions must be taken into consideration to estimate the PMI.

Acari Attracted to Carrion of Chicken and Cattle (닭과 소의 사체에 유인되는 진드기류)

  • Lim, Chae-Suck;Lee, Won-Koo
    • The Korean Journal of Soil Zoology
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    • v.10 no.1_2
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    • pp.16-21
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    • 2005
  • This study includes the taxonomy and occurrence of ticks and mites from Jinju, Kyogsangnamdo province, Korea. Materials examined were attraccted to carrions of chicken and cattle flesh from September 2002 to December 2003. As a result, the following seven species were identified. Suborder Ixodida Family Ixodidae 1. Haemaphysalis longicorttis Neumann, 1901 Suborder Mesostigmata Family Machrochelidae 2. Macrocheles muscaedomesticae (Scopoli, 1772) 3. Holostaspella ornata (Berlese, 1904) Family Ascidae 4. Protogamasellus micus (Athias-Henriot, 1961) 5. Lasioseius sugawarai Ehara, 1964 6. Proctolaelaps sp. Suboder Prostigamta Family Erythraeidae 7. Abrolophus sp. Of these, M. muscaedomesticae and Protogamasellus micus are dominant species. Holostaspella ornate(Berlese, 1904) and Protogamasellus mica(Athias-Henriot, 1961) are new to Korean fauna.

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