NCJ Number
225686
Journal
Canadian Society of Forensic Science Journal Volume: 41 Issue: 3 Dated: September 2008 Pages: 135-147
Date Published
September 2008
Length
13 pages
Annotation
This study tested the influence of clothing, wrapping of a carcass, and the combination of both clothing and wrapping on the decomposition and arthropod succession.
Abstract
Forensic entomology has been used as a source of information since the 13th Century. More recently, it has been successfully applied to numerous case studies involving unnatural death. Results indicate the following: wrapping of a carcass delayed the oviposition of the adult Diptera by 4 days in winter; adult Diptera species present on a carcass may not necessarily represent accurately the maggot species composition; the lack of competition results in winter is a difficult time of the year to accurately estimate post mortem interval (PMI), however, the presence of such a diversity of the blow fly species still shows that an estimation of PMI can be made; wrapping results in a significant delay in the drying out of a carcass; and Sarcophagidae ssp., Chrysomya chloropyga, Calliphora vicina, and Calliphoridae Lucilia ssp. are the species breeding on carcasses during winter in the central region of South Africa. It is noted that for the application of entomological evidence to an estimation of PMI, a good understanding of the factors affecting the decomposition and arthropod succession is essential. Data were collected from a field trial at the west campus of the University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, in the central region of South Africa. Figures and references