Decomposition and insect colonization patterns of pig cadavers lying on forest soil and suspended above ground

Feddern, Nina; Mitchell, Edward A. D.; Amendt, Jens; Szelecz, Ildikò; Seppey, Christophe V. W.

doi:10.1007/s12024-019-00121-6

Cited by 11 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…Nonetheless, our present results yield new insights into the piophilid fauna of South Korea and provide a significant number of new sequences (Table 2) that will aid future studies and casework involving molecular identification. Specifically, our study provides the first record of S. nigriceps from South Korea and suggests that this species may be particularly relevant in certain case types and scenarios in that country, in line with previous studies and case reports from central Europe [7,28,29]. Given that despite their forensic and economic importance, the family Piophilidae represents an understudied group of insects and that morphological characterization can be challenging and a source of misidentifications [5,9], our study provides additional tools that will enable accurate identification, even by non-specialist forensic practitioners.…”

Section: Con Clus Ionsupporting

confidence: 90%

First report of the forensically important fly, Stearibia nigriceps (Diptera: Piophilidae) in South Korea: Confirmation of specimens from human corpses based on cytochrome c oxidase subunit I barcodes

Kim

Martín‐Vega

Shin

et al. 2021

Journal of Forensic Sciences

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Piophilidae are a relatively small family of Diptera that is frequently associated with cadavers at advanced stages of decomposition and are, therefore, considered potentially useful forensic indicators. However, their use in forensic investigations is typically hampered by a deficiency in reliable identification tools. This is particularly evident in countries such as South Korea, where forensic entomology is still in its infancy and the diversity of forensically relevant insect taxa remains largely undocumented. In the present study, we used cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) barcodes to identify samples of piophilid larvae collected during medicolegal investigations performed in South Korea. A total of 174 COI sequences were obtained and have been made publicly available, thus augmenting the reference barcode library for forensically important Piophilidae species. Of the 174 sequenced samples, 172 were identified as Stearibia nigriceps (Meigen), whereas the two remaining samples may represent a previously unsequenced piophilid species. Stearibia nigriceps is recorded from South Korea for the first time, and our results suggest that it might be a particularly relevant forensic indicator in certain case types and scenarios in that country. The findings of this study highlight the utility of COI barcodes for achieving accurate identification of entomological samples, even by non-specialist forensic practitioners. They also contribute to the further development and consolidation of forensic entomology in South Korea and eastern Asia. K E Y W O R D S cytochrome c oxidase subunit I, DNA barcoding, forensic entomology, Piophilidae, Stearibia nigriceps, necrophagous insect, range extension Highlights• COI barcodes were used to identify piophilid larvae collected from human cadavers.• Of the 174 sequenced samples, 172 were identified as Stearibia nigriceps (Meigen).• Two samples may represent a previously unsequenced species.• Both piophilid species are recorded from South Korea for the first time.• Our findings will contribute to the development of forensic entomology in South Korea. | 1539 KIM et al.

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Section: Con Clus Ionsupporting

confidence: 90%

First report of the forensically important fly, Stearibia nigriceps (Diptera: Piophilidae) in South Korea: Confirmation of specimens from human corpses based on cytochrome c oxidase subunit I barcodes

Kim

Martín‐Vega

Shin

et al. 2021

Journal of Forensic Sciences

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“…Since the intensity and the qualitative and quantitative composition of carrion scent varies over the whole decomposition period peaking in the most odoriferous phase at post-bloating stage [ 12 ], various insect groups are assumed to be successively lured toward characteristic odor profiles at specific decomposition stages. A plethora of studies have shown the colonization patterns of key insect groups on vertebrate carrion, mainly being published in journals of forensic entomology for post-mortem interval estimations [ 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 ]. House flies (Diptera: Muscidae), blow flies (Diptera: Calliphoridae), and flesh flies (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) are the first insects that visit a fresh cadaver and oviposit into its moist flesh to enable later hatching and feeding of larval masses.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Attraction of the Dung Beetle Anoplotrupes stercorosus (Coleoptera: Geotrupidae) to Volatiles from Vertebrate Cadavers

Weithmann

Hoermann

Schmitt

et al. 2020

Insects

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During decomposition, vertebrate carrion emits volatile organic compounds to which insects and other scavengers are attracted. We have previously found that the dung beetle, Anoplotrupes stercorosus, is the most common dung beetle found on vertebrate cadavers. Our aim in this study was to identify volatile key compounds emitted from carrion and used by A. stercorosus to locate this nutritive resource. By collecting cadaveric volatiles and performing electroantennographic detection, we tested which compounds A. stercorosus perceived in the post-bloating decomposition stage. Receptors in the antennae of A. stercorosus responded to 24 volatiles in odor bouquets from post-bloating decay. Subsequently, we produced a synthetic cadaver odor bouquet consisting of six compounds (benzaldehyde, DMTS, 3-octanone, 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-ol, nonanal, dodecane) perceived by the beetles and used various blends to attract A. stercorosus in German forests. In field assays, these beetles were attracted to a blend of DMTS, 3-octanone, and benzaldehyde. Generalist feeding behavior might lead to the super-dominant occurrence of A. stercorosus in temperate European forests and have a potentially large impact on the exploitation and rapid turnover of temporally limited resources such as vertebrate cadavers.

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“…When more cadavers were investigated, it may be necessary to present insect occurrences in a synthetic way, but still raw data from individual cadavers (or seasonal averages) should be given on the PAI and PI of particular insect taxa (e.g., [119]). [20][21][22][23][24][25]). I reviewed datasets derived from experiments performed in Europe and on pig cadavers only.…”

Section: Insect Successionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…They are only rough approximations of the true errors of the insect-based protocols for PMI. Testing validity of the assumptions that are at the root of the protocol 26 [14,[17][18][19]27,29,30,34,41,[55][56][57]61,144,145,176,[187][188][189][190][191][192][193][194][195][196] 56 [20,21,24,25,103,107,113,119,122,124,127,128, Proof-of-concept study 1 Testing validity of the protocol as used in a simplified setting Testing validity of the protocol as used in forensic casework 7 [46,118,182,185,[252][253][254] 6 [5,108,…”

Section: Validation Of the Pmi Estimation Protocolsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Post-Mortem Interval Estimation Based on Insect Evidence: Current Challenges

Matuszewski

2021

Insects

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During death investigations insects are used mostly to estimate the post-mortem interval (PMI). These estimates are only as good as they are close to the true PMI. Therefore, the major challenge for forensic entomology is to reduce the estimation inaccuracy. Here, I review literature in this field to identify research areas that may contribute to the increase in the accuracy of PMI estimation. I conclude that research on the development and succession of carrion insects, thermogenesis in aggregations of their larvae and error rates of the PMI estimation protocols should be prioritized. Challenges of educational and promotional nature are discussed as well, particularly in relation to the collection of insect evidence.

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Decomposition and insect colonization patterns of pig cadavers lying on forest soil and suspended above ground

Cited by 11 publications

References 35 publications

First report of the forensically important fly, Stearibia nigriceps (Diptera: Piophilidae) in South Korea: Confirmation of specimens from human corpses based on cytochrome c oxidase subunit I barcodes

First report of the forensically important fly, Stearibia nigriceps (Diptera: Piophilidae) in South Korea: Confirmation of specimens from human corpses based on cytochrome c oxidase subunit I barcodes

The Attraction of the Dung Beetle Anoplotrupes stercorosus (Coleoptera: Geotrupidae) to Volatiles from Vertebrate Cadavers

Post-Mortem Interval Estimation Based on Insect Evidence: Current Challenges

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