NCJ Number
209109
Journal
Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 50 Issue: 2 Dated: March 2005 Pages: 448-454
Date Published
March 2005
Length
7 pages
Annotation
This study documented the succession of carrion insects and developed an "occurrence matrix" from data on insects found during the decomposition of an exposed animal model during the rainy season in an urban area of Medellin, Colombia.
Abstract
The project was conducted in a field within the campus of the Universidad de Antioquia in Medellin, at an altitude of 1.450 msnm. Average temperatures fluctuated between 18 and 24 degrees centigrade. Average annual rainfall amounted to 1.409 mm. The corresponding bio-climatic zone is bh-P according to Holdridge. The experiment lasted from October 27 to December 12, 2002, a period that corresponded to the rainy season. The pigs used in the experiment were killed by cardiac puncture in the study area. At each sampling time, the physical characteristics of the body were noted as well as the insect activity. A total of 11,937 insects were collected, which belonged to 12 orders, 29 families, and 42 genera. Diptera was the most abundant order, represented mostly by Calliphoridae (80 percent). Coleoptera were scarcely present (only 2.8 percent). Based on information obtained from eggs and larvae reared to adulthood, an occurrence matrix was created for determining postmortem interval. Tables show the succession of insects for different stages of decomposition and present the matrix occurrence of immature stadia of Diptera and Coleoptera species. 2 tables, 2 figures, and 47 references