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A comparison of carcass decomposition and associated insect succession onto burnt and unburnt pig carcasses

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Abstract

The rate of decomposition and insect succession onto decomposing pig carcasses were investigated following burning of carcasses. Ten pig carcasses (40–45 kg) were exposed to insect activity during autumn (March–April) in Western Australia. Five replicates were burnt to a degree described by the Crow-Glassman Scale (CGS) level #2, while five carcasses were left unburnt as controls. Burning carcasses greatly accelerated decomposition in contrast to unburnt carcasses. Physical modifications following burning such as skin discolouration, splitting of abdominal tissue and leathery consolidation of skin eliminated evidence of bloat and altered microambient temperatures associated with carcasses throughout decomposition. Insect species identified on carcasses were consistent between treatment groups; however, a statistically significant difference in insect succession onto remains was evident between treatments (PERMANOVA F (1, 224) = 14.23, p < 0.01) during an 8-day period that corresponds with the wet stage of decomposition. Differences were noted in the arrival time of late colonisers (Coleoptera) and the development of colonising insects between treatment groups. Differences in the duration of decomposition stages and insect assemblages indicate that burning has an effect on both rate of decomposition and insect succession. The findings presented here provide baseline data for entomological casework involving burnt remains criminal investigations.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank David Cook, Tony Eddlestone, Elsie Kinnard and Paola Magni for their assistance in the field and laboratory as well as Linley Valley Pork for providing the pig carcasses required for this study. We are also thankful to Alexander Larcombe for his helpful comments on earlier versions of the manuscript. This project complies with the ethical and legal requirements of Australian research (RA/3/500/80).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Forensic Anatomy and Biological Sciences, School of Anatomy, Physiology and Human Biology, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia

    Craig S. McIntosh & Sasha C. Voss

  2. Program in Forensic Anthropology, Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118, USA

    Ian R. Dadour

Authors
  1. Craig S. McIntosh
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  2. Ian R. Dadour
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  3. Sasha C. Voss
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Correspondence to Craig S. McIntosh.

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McIntosh, C.S., Dadour, I.R. & Voss, S.C. A comparison of carcass decomposition and associated insect succession onto burnt and unburnt pig carcasses. Int J Legal Med 131, 835–845 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-016-1464-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-016-1464-7

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