TY - JOUR
T1 - An Analysis of Forensically Important Insects Associated with Human Remains in Indiana, U.S.A.*
AU - Weidner, Lauren M.
AU - Nigoghosian, Gregory
AU - Yoho, Kelie C.
AU - Parrott, Jonathan J.
AU - Hans, Krystal R.
N1 - Funding Information:
We would like to thank the Indiana State Police (ISP), Tippecanoe County Coroner's Office (TCC), and Central Indiana Forensic Associates, LLC (CIFA) for their help and support of this project. Specifically, we wish to thank Brian Olehy (ISP), Jan Kruse (ISP), Caroline Hanau (TCC) Z. Logan Miller (TCC), Donna Avolt (TCC), Matthew Durthaler (CIFA), Donald Ross (CIFA), and Dr. Thomas Sozio (CIFA) for their assistance in this research.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 American Academy of Forensic Sciences
PY - 2020/11/1
Y1 - 2020/11/1
N2 - Research documenting insect colonization of human remains is limited in North America, and currently nonexistent for the American Midwest. Such research is essential for forensic entomologists to identify species of research interest in a region. In this study, we collected insects from human remains in 24 cases across Indiana from June 2016 through September 2018. We analyzed species composition across scene type and season. Eight species of blow flies were collected as larvae from human remains, with Phormia regina and Lucilia sericata as the two predominant colonizers. Phormia regina was the most numerous species collected from outdoor scenes (73.6% of total collections) while L. sericata was the most numerous from the indoor scenes (60.4% of total collections). With scene types pooled, Calliphora vicina and Cochliomya macellaria were the predominant species in the fall (55.6% and 42.2%, respectively); P. regina was the dominant colonizer in the spring (68.6%); and P. regina and L. sericata were the predominant colonizers (46.5% and 44.4%, respectively) in the summer. In addition to these findings, we confirmed the first record of Lucilia cuprina colonizing human remains in Indiana having collected this species from three cases. A single adult Chrysomya megacephala was collected from an indoor scene in southern Indiana, which represents its second collection in the state. Beetles belonging to the families Staphylinidae, Silphidae, Histeridae, Cleridae, Trogidae, Dermestdae, and Nitidulidae were also collected from two outdoor scenes. This study provides important baseline data for forensic entomologists in Indiana, as well as surrounding states with similar environments.
AB - Research documenting insect colonization of human remains is limited in North America, and currently nonexistent for the American Midwest. Such research is essential for forensic entomologists to identify species of research interest in a region. In this study, we collected insects from human remains in 24 cases across Indiana from June 2016 through September 2018. We analyzed species composition across scene type and season. Eight species of blow flies were collected as larvae from human remains, with Phormia regina and Lucilia sericata as the two predominant colonizers. Phormia regina was the most numerous species collected from outdoor scenes (73.6% of total collections) while L. sericata was the most numerous from the indoor scenes (60.4% of total collections). With scene types pooled, Calliphora vicina and Cochliomya macellaria were the predominant species in the fall (55.6% and 42.2%, respectively); P. regina was the dominant colonizer in the spring (68.6%); and P. regina and L. sericata were the predominant colonizers (46.5% and 44.4%, respectively) in the summer. In addition to these findings, we confirmed the first record of Lucilia cuprina colonizing human remains in Indiana having collected this species from three cases. A single adult Chrysomya megacephala was collected from an indoor scene in southern Indiana, which represents its second collection in the state. Beetles belonging to the families Staphylinidae, Silphidae, Histeridae, Cleridae, Trogidae, Dermestdae, and Nitidulidae were also collected from two outdoor scenes. This study provides important baseline data for forensic entomologists in Indiana, as well as surrounding states with similar environments.
KW - Calliphora vicina
KW - Calliphoridae
KW - Cochliomyia macellaria
KW - Cocliomya macellaria
KW - Lucilia cuprina
KW - Lucilia sericata
KW - Phormia regina
KW - blow flies
KW - forensic entomology
KW - human remains
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85089178996&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85089178996&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/1556-4029.14531
DO - 10.1111/1556-4029.14531
M3 - Article
C2 - 32777093
AN - SCOPUS:85089178996
SN - 0022-1198
VL - 65
SP - 2036
EP - 2041
JO - Journal of Forensic Sciences
JF - Journal of Forensic Sciences
IS - 6
ER -