Annual variation in arrival and departure times of carrion insects at carcasses: implications for succession studies in forensic entomology

2003 ◽  
Vol 51 (6) ◽  
pp. 569 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. S. Archer
Keyword(s):  
Annual Variation ◽  
Baseline Data ◽  
Seasonal Effect ◽  
Post Mortem ◽  
Arrival Times ◽  
Post Mortem Interval ◽  
Weather Patterns ◽  
Potential Source ◽  
One Year ◽  
Source Of Error

A succession of insect species associate with decaying bodies, and because of the relatively predictable arrival and departure times of many species, this process is routinely used to estimate minimum post-mortem interval. Corpse fauna are compared with baseline data on succession rates, which are usually taken from decomposing animal carcasses. Baseline data are traditionally collected over a single year only; however, annual differences in weather patterns and insect population parameters probably alter succession rates. Surprisingly, this potential source of error has not previously been examined. Therefore, a two-year succession experiment was performed to investigate annual variation in succession rates. Sets of five still-born piglet carcasses were placed in a forest each season of both years. Six insects that occur year-round were selected: adults of Aleochara brachialis Jekel, Anotylus spp., Creophilus erythrocephalus Fabricius (Staphylinidae: Coleoptera), Ptomaphila lacrymosa Schreibers (Silphidae: Coleoptera), Pseudonemadus spp. (Leiodidae: Coleoptera), and larvae of Calliphora spp. (Calliphoridae: Diptera). Arrival and departure weeks to and from carcasses were measured in each season of both years. Two-way ANOVAs revealed significant season and year interactions on the arrival weeks of Anotylus spp., C. erythrocephalus, and Pseudonemadus spp., and significant differences in seasonal and yearly arrival times for A. brachialis, and P. lacrymosa. For larvae of Calliphora spp., there was a significant seasonal effect on arrival times. A significant interaction between season and year affected the departure weeks of all taxa. These results show that error in the estimates of minimum post-mortem interval can result if baseline succession data are collected only over one year.

scholarly journals Evaluating the utility of time-lapse imaging in the estimation of post-mortem interval: An Australian case study

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 204-210 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alyson Wilson ◽  
Stanley Serafin ◽  
Dilan Seckiner ◽  
Rachel Berry ◽  
Xanthé Mallett
Keyword(s):  
Time Lapse ◽  
Post Mortem ◽  
Post Mortem Interval ◽  
Australian Case ◽  
Time Lapse Imaging

scholarly journals Error estimation on extracorporeal trajectory determination from body scans

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Riva ◽  
U. Buck ◽  
K. Buße ◽  
R. Hermsen ◽  
E. J. A. T. Mattijssen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Computed Tomography ◽  
Soft Tissue ◽  
Supine Position ◽  
Post Mortem ◽  
Surface Scanning ◽  
3D Data ◽  
Gravitational Pull ◽  
Scanned Images ◽  
Source Of Error ◽  
Trajectory Determination

AbstractThis study explores the magnitude of two sources of error that are introduced when extracorporeal bullet trajectories are based on post-mortem computed tomography (PMCT) and/or surface scanning of a body. The first source of error is caused by an altered gravitational pull on soft tissue, which is introduced when a body is scanned in another position than it had when hit. The second source of error is introduced when scanned images are translated into a virtual representation of the victim’s body. To study the combined magnitude of these errors, virtual shooting trajectories with known vertical angles through five “victims” (live test persons) were simulated. The positions of the simulated wounds on the bodies were marked, with the victims in upright positions. Next, the victims were scanned in supine position, using 3D surface scanning, similar to a body’s position when scanned during a PMCT. Seven experts, used to working with 3D data, were asked to determine the bullet trajectories based on the virtual representations of the bodies. The errors between the known and determined trajectories were analysed and discussed. The results of this study give a feel for the magnitude of the introduced errors and can be used to reconstruct actual shooting incidents using PMCT data.

scholarly journals Impact of Comingled Heterospecific Assemblages on Developmentally Based Estimates of the Post-Mortem Interval—A Study with Lucilia sericata (Meigen), Phormia regina (Meigen) and Calliphora vicina Robineau-Desvoidy (Diptera: Calliphoridae)

Insects ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 280
Author(s):  
Krystal R. Hans ◽  
Sherah L. Vanlaerhoven
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Development Time ◽  
Lucilia Sericata ◽  
Phormia Regina ◽  
Calliphora Vicina ◽  
Immature Stages ◽  
Post Mortem ◽  
Blow Fly ◽  
Blow Flies ◽  
Post Mortem Interval

Estimates of the minimum post-mortem interval (mPMI) using the development rate of blow flies (Diptera: Calliphoridae) are common in modern forensic entomology casework. These estimates are based on single species developing in the absence of heterospecific interactions. Yet, in real-world situations, it is not uncommon to have 2 or more blow fly species developing on a body. Species interactions have the potential to change the acceptance of resources as suitable for oviposition, the timing of oviposition, growth rate, size and development time of immature stages, as well as impacting the survival of immature stages to reach adult. This study measured larval development and growth rate of the blow flies Lucilia sericata (Meigen, 1826), Phormia regina (Meigen, 1826) and Calliphora vicina Robineau-Desvoidy (Diptera: Calliphoridae) over five constant temperatures (15, 20, 25, 30, 35 °C), in the presence of conspecifics or two-species heterospecific assemblages. Temperature and species treatment interacted such that L. sericata larvae gained mass more rapidly when in the presence of P. regina at 20 and 30 °C, however only developed faster at first instar. At later stages, the presence of P. regina slowed development of L. sericata immatures. Development time of C. vicina immatures was not affected by the presence of P. regina, however larvae gained mass more slowly. Development time of P. regina immatures was faster in the presence of either L. sericata or C. vicina until third instar, at which point, the presence of L. sericata was neutral whereas C. vicina negatively impacted development time. Phormia regina larvae gained mass more rapidly in the presence of L. sericata at 20 °C but were negatively impacted at 25 °C by the presence of either L. sericata or C. vicina. The results of this study indicate that metrics such as development time or larval mass used for estimating mPMI with blow flies are impacted by the presence of comingled heterospecific blow fly assemblages. As the effects of heterospecific assemblages are not uniformly positive or negative between stages, temperatures or species combinations, more research into these effects is vital. Until then, caution should be used when estimating mPMI in cases with multiple blow fly species interacting on a body.

Comparison of endogenous GHB concentrations in blood and hair in death cases with emphasis on the post mortem interval

2016 ◽  
Vol 130 (4) ◽  
pp. 959-965 ◽  
Author(s):  
André L. Castro ◽  
Sónia Tarelho ◽  
Mário Dias ◽  
Flávio Reis ◽  
Helena M. Teixeira
Keyword(s):  
Post Mortem ◽  
Post Mortem Interval ◽  
Death Cases

Infrared tympanic thermography as a substitute for a probe in the evaluation of ear temperature for post-mortem interval determination: A pilot study

2009 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 215-217 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Cattaneo ◽  
A. Di Giancamillo ◽  
O. Campari ◽  
N. Orthmann ◽  
L. Martrille ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Post Mortem ◽  
Post Mortem Interval

Echocardiographic Study of Premature Infants

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1984 ◽  
Vol 73 (6) ◽  
pp. 883-883
Author(s):  
GREGORY L. JOHNSON ◽  
Albert B. Chandler
Keyword(s):  
Premature Infants ◽  
Multicenter Study ◽  
Aortic Root ◽  
Leading Edge ◽  
Potential Source ◽  
Echocardiographic Study ◽  
Edge Method ◽  
American Society ◽  
Source Of Error

In Reply.— Levine has correctly pointed out an important potential source of error in performing echocardiographic measurements in small infants. Measurements of aortic root dimension in the multicenter study we reported were, indeed, performed utilizing the outer-to-inner (ie, leading edge) method as recommended by the American Society of Echocardiography and noted in the methods portion of our manuscript. Due to the reduction in figure size associated with publication, our figure 1 (Pediatrics 1984;72:865) appears, at first glance, to demonstrate inner-to-inner measurement as Levine points out.

In situ hybridization to lampbrush chromosomes: a potential source of error exposed

1980 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 115-123
Author(s):  
H.G. Callan ◽  
R.W. Old
Keyword(s):  
Lampbrush Chromosome ◽  
Single Pair ◽  
Lampbrush Chromosomes ◽  
Triturus Cristatus ◽  
Rna Transcripts ◽  
Potential Source ◽  
Source Of Error ◽  
Simple Sequence ◽  
Do So

Denatured 3H-labelled DNAs containing Xenopus or human globin sequences hybridize to RNA transcripts on a single pair of lateral loops on lampbrush chromosome IX of Triturus cristatus carnifex, and to no other loops on this chromosome or the rest of the complement. However they do so, not because of the globin sequences in the probes, but rather because the plasmids from which the probes were prepared were constructed with G.C homopolymer tails. Simple sequence poly d(C/G)n probes also hybridize with RNA transcripts on this same pair of loops, and with no others.

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