Forensic entomology cases in Thailand: a review of cases from 2000 to 2006

Abstract

This paper presents and discusses 30 cases of cadavers that had been transferred for forensic entomology investigations to the Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, northern Thailand, from 2000 to 2006. Variable death scenes were determined, including forested area and suburban and urban outdoor and indoor environments. The fly specimens found in the corpses obtained were the most commonly of the blow fly of family Calliphoridae, and consisted of Chrysomya megacephala (F.), Chrysomya rufifacies (Macquart) Chrysomya villeneuvi Patton, Chrysomya nigripes Aubertin, Chrysomya bezziana Villeneuve, Chrysomya chani Kurahashi, Lucilia cuprina (Wiedemann), Hemipyrellia ligurriens (Wiedemann), and two unknown species. Flies of the family Muscidae [Hydrotaea spinigera Stein, Synthesiomyia nudiseta (Wulp)], Piophilidae [Piophila casei (L.)], Phoridae [Megaselia scalaris (Loew)], Sarcophagidae [Parasarcophaga ruficornis (F.) and three unknown species], and Stratiomyiidae (Sargus sp.) were also collected from these human remains. Larvae and adults of the beetle, Dermestes maculatus DeGeer (Coleoptera: Dermestidae), were also found in some cases. Chrysomya megacephala and C. rufifacies were the most common species found in the ecologically varied death scene habitats associated with both urban and forested areas, while C. nigripes was commonly discovered in forested places. S. nudiseta was collected only from corpses found in an indoor death scene.

Scuttle Flies (Diptera: Phoridae) Inhabiting Rabbit Carcasses Confined to Plastic Waste Bins in Malaysia Include New Records and an Undescribed Species

“…Chrysomya chani previously appeared in succession studies in Malaysia (Nazni et al 2011;Omar et al 1994) including indoor environments (Nazni et al 2011), and it has been discovered in forensic cases (Nazni et al 2015;Sukontason et al 2007). Compared to Phorids and Calliphorids, the Sarcophagids appeared to be the most successful species to gain entry and feed on the carcasses.…”

Larvae of the family Piophilidae found in the marrow space of skeletal remains during a forensic autopsy

“…Further, the flies have been reported from human cadavers (Nazni et al, 2008;Saigusa et al, 2003Saigusa et al, , 2006Sukontason et al, 2001Sukontason et al, , 2007. The larvae of the P. casei are found during the advanced decomposition phase of a cadaver, while the adult flies are typically observed beginning several days after death (Byrd and Castner, 2009).…”

The temporal occurrence of flesh flies (Diptera, Sarcophagidae) at carrion-baited traps in Grahamstown, South Africa

“…Flesh flies also have acknowledged medical, veterinary and forensic importance (e.g. Sukontason et al 2007, Cherix et al 2012, Fremdt and Amendt 2014, but little is known about their biology in southern Africa (Zumpt 1965, 1972, Aspoas 1991, Villet et al 2006, so that such forensic evidence requires validation before it can be deployed in practice.…”