Tooth Mark Artifacts and Survival of Bones in Animal Scavenged Human Skeletons

Abstract

Animal scavenging activity can result in production of tooth mark artifacts. Such activity can confound interpretation of skeletal material and the identification process. To date, these topics have received limited attention in the forensic science literature. This study discusses the nature of various animal tooth mark artifacts and typical damage to selected bony elements. This study also assesses survivability of various skeletal elements over time. Two major factors that affect which bones are recovered and the amount of damage are circumstances which shelter remains from animals and human population density of the area where the skeleton is recovered.

Indoor postmortem animal interference by carnivores and rodents: report of two cases and review of the literature

“…Determination of rodent species from the morphological appearance of damage to soft tissue and bones is often unreliable [3,14,15]. In cases of postmortem rodent interference the appearance of distinct parallel cutaneous lacerations in the margins of damaged skin can be attrib- Fig.…”

Baboon taphonomy and its relevance to the investigation of large felid involvement in human forensic cases

“…Heavy clothing certainly discourages the consumption of covered body parts in cases in which canids scavenge human remains (e.g., [22][23][24][25]). But, domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) and coyotes (Canis latrans) are much smaller and less formidable than the felid species of concern [43].…”

“…Large felids, such as leopards (Panthera pardus), lions (Panthera leo), tigers (Panthera tigris) and cougars (Felis concolor), are occasional predators of humans and important taphonomic agents that can act on corpses deposited in outdoor, rural settings worldwide (e.g., [3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21]). However, other biotic agents (e.g., dogs, rodents, birds) (e.g., [22][23][24][25][26][27]) and abiotic forces (e.g., subaerial weathering, soil leaching) often also affect such bodies simultaneously and/or sequentially during the postmortem interval.…”

“…Previous forensic research into the role of carnivores (especially canids) as taphonomic agents has highlighted important patterns of bone surface damage to and skeletal Forensic Science International 144 (2004) [37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44] part representation of human bodies (e.g., [22][23][24][25]). This extant body of work is extremely valuable, but is also limited.…”

Canine scavenging of human remains in an indoor setting

“…Much attention has been paid to the destruction of mammalian skeletons by wild and domestic canines but such studies have been limited to outdoor environments [1][2][3][4][5][6]. Conversely, little is known about the scavenging behavior of or rate of consumption of human remains by domestic canines in an indoor setting [7].…”