NCJ Number
231629
Journal
Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 55 Issue: 4 Dated: July 2010 Pages: 889-892
Date Published
July 2010
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This article reports results of a comparative study of decomposition rates of wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus), which were either (i) buried after exposure to insect activity, (ii) buried without exposure, (iii) kept above ground behind an insect screen, or (iv) continuously exposed above ground in a field experiment.
Abstract
Results showed that dipteran oviposition occurred consistently in groups i and iv only. Decomposition rates (measured by Total Body Score every c. 50 accumulated degree days [ADD]) of rabbits kept behind the screen and those buried without exposure showed no difference (p = 0.450). This was significantly slower than those buried after exposure (p = 0.0016) which was in turn significantly slower than those continuously exposed (p less than 0.001). Temperatures collected from animals showed the presence of feeding larvae increased intra-abdominal temperatures to greater than 5 degrees C above ambient. The findings support the assertion that insect presence is the primary agent affecting decomposition rate via tissue consumption and also the heat they generate. (Published Abstract)