The science of forensic entomology / David B. Rivers, Gregory A. Dahlem.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Rivers, David, 1966- author.

Dahlem, Gregory, author.

Contributor:

George Clapp Vaillant Book Fund.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Forensic entomology.

Arthropoda--Physiology.

Arthropoda.

Forensic Entomology.

Arthropods--physiology.

Medical Subjects:

Forensic Entomology.

Arthropods--physiology.

Physical Description:

xvii, 542 pages : illustrations (some color) ; 26 cm

Edition:

Second edition.

Place of Publication:

Chichester, West Sussex : John Wiley & Sons Ltd, 2023.

Summary:

"Forensic Entomology is the application of basic and applied principles of insect biology and the collection of entomological data in such a manner that it can be used as evidence in criminal investigations to aid in resolving legal issues that are either criminal or civil in nature. The field is divided into three areas most often associated with the judicial system: Urban Entomology, Stored Product Entomology, and Medico-legal Entomology. The discipline is now widely accepted in judicial systems as providing valuable tools for investigating civil and criminal cases involving insects as evidence and as important resources of information. Coupled with the fascination by the public with forensic analyses forensic science programs are becoming popular choices following graduation by undergraduate students, and new programs are appearing at a rapid rate"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Machine generated contents note: ch. 1 Role of forensic science in criminal investigations

Overview

The big picture

1.1. What is forensic science?

1.2. Application of science to criminal investigations

1.3. Ensuring "good" science in forensic analysis

1.4. Recognized specialty disciplines in forensic science

Chapter review

Test your understanding

Notes

References cited

Supplemental reading

Additional resources

ch. 2 History of forensic entomology

2.1. Historical records of early human civilizations suggest understanding of insect biology and ecology

2.2. Early influences leading to forensic entomology

2.3. Foundation for discipline is laid through casework, research, war, and public policy

2.4. Turn of the twentieth century brings advances in understanding of necrophagous insects

2.5. Forensic entomology during the "great" wars

2.6. Growth of the discipline due to the pioneering efforts of modern forensic entomologists leads to acceptance by judicial systems and public

2.7. Forensic entomology in the twenty-first century is characterized by increased casework and development of professional standards

ch. 3 Role of insects and other arthropods in urban and stored product entomology

3.1. Insects and other arthropods are used in civil, criminal, and administrative matters pertinent to the judicial system

3.2. Civil cases involve disputes over private issues

3.3. Criminal law involves more serious matters involving safety and welfare of people

3.4. Administrative law is concerned with rulemaking, adjudication, or enforcement of specific regulatory agendas

3.5. Stored product entomology addresses issues of insect infestations of food and stored products

3.6. Urban entomology is focused on insects invading human habitation

ch. 4 Introduction to entomology

4.1. Insecta is the biggest class of the biggest phylum of living organisms, the Arthropoda

4.2. The typical adult insect has three body parts, six legs, two antennae, compound eyes, external mouthparts, and wings

4.3. Tagmosis has produced the three functional body segments of insects: the head, thorax, and abdomen

4.4. Sensory organs and their modifications allow insects to perceive and react to their environments

4.5. The structure and function of an insect's digestive system is intimately tied to the food that it prefers to eat

4.6. A tubular tracheal system transports oxygen to the body's cells while blood moves through the body without the aid of a vascular system

4.7. The nervous system of insects integrates sensory input and drives many aspects of behavior

4.8. In order to grow, insects need to shed their "skin"

4.9. Many insects appear and behave in an entirely different way as a larva than as an adult

the magic of metamorphosis

4.10. The desire to reproduce is a driving force for unique reproductive behaviors and copulatory structures in insects

ch. 5 Biology, taxonomy, and natural history of forensically important insects

5.1. A variety of different insects and terrestrial arthropods are attracted to a dead body

5.2. The fauna of insects feeding on a body is determined by location, time, and associated organisms

5.3. Necrophagous insects include the taxa feeding on the corpse itself

5.4. Parasitoids and predators are the second most significant group of carrion-frequenting taxa

5.5. Omnivorous species include taxa which feed on both the corpse and associated arthropods

5.6. Adventitious species include taxa that use the corpse as an extension of their own natural habitat

ch. 6 Reproductive strategies of necrophagous flies

6.1. The need to feed: anautogeny and income breeders are common among necrophagous Diptera

6.2. Size matters in egg production

6.3. Progeny deposition is a matter of competition

6.4. Larvae are adapted for feeding and competing on carrion

6.5. Feeding aggregations maximize utilization of food source

6.6. Mother versus offspring: fitness conflicts

6.7. Resource partitioning is the path to reproductive success

Note

ch. 7 Chemical attraction and communication

7.1. Insects rely on chemicals in intraspecific and interspecific communication

7.2. Chemical communication requires efficient chemoreception

7.3. Semiochemicals modify the behavior of the receiver

7.4. Pheromones are used to communicate with members of the same species

7.5. Allelochemicals promote communication across taxa and kingdoms

7.6. Chemical attraction to carrion

7.7. Chemical attraction to carrion by subsequent fauna

7.8. Chemical attraction to bacteria on carrion

ch. 8 Biology of the maggot mass

8.1. Carrion communities are composed largely of fly larvae living in aggregations

8.2. Formation of maggot masses is more complex than originally thought

8.3. Larval feeding aggregations provide adaptive benefits to individuals

8.4. Developing in maggot masses is not always beneficial to conspecifics or allospecifics

8.5. Larval aggregation may benefit Coleoptera too!

ch. 9 Temperature tolerances of necrophagous insects

9.1. Necrophagous insects face seasonal, aseasonal, and self-induced (heterothermy) temperature extremes

9.2. Temperature challenges do not equal death: necrophagous insects are equipped with adaptations to survive a changing environment

9.3. Life-history features that promote survival during proteotaxic stress

9.4. Deleterious effects of high temperatures on necrophagous flies

9.5. Life-history strategies and adaptations that promote survival at low temperatures

9.6. Deleterious effects of low-temperature exposure

ch. 10 Postmortem decomposition of human remains and vertebrate carrion

10.1. Decomposition of human and other vertebrate remains is a complex process

10.2. Numerous factors affect the rate of body decomposition

10.3. When the heart stops internal changes occur almost immediately but are not outwardly detectable

10.4. Body decomposition is characterized by a series of recognizable changes in physical appearance

ch.

11 Insect succession on carrion under natural and artificial conditions

11.1. What's normal about terrestrial decomposition? Typical patterns of insect succession on bodies above ground

11.2. Succession patterns under forensic conditions are not typical

11.3. Several factors serve as barriers to oviposition by necrophagous insects

11.4. The physical conditions of carrion decay can function as a hurdle to insect development

11.5. Insect faunal colonization of animal remains is influenced by conditions of physical decomposition

ch. 12 Decomposition in aquatic environments

12.1. Decomposition of human remains in water is different than on land

12.2. Ecological functions of human remains in aquatic ecosystems

12.3. Why are there no truly necrophagous aquatic insects on carrion?

12.4. Associations between freshwater insects and terrestrial carrion

12.5. Terrestrial insects are still interested in dead bodies in water

12.6. A postmortem interval cannot be determined with aquatic insects

ch. 13 Microbiomes of carrion and forensic insects

13.1. Microbes of a corpse are important sources of information

13.2. Microbial communities exist on living and dead hosts

13.3. Estimation of the postmortem interval using microbes

13.4. Microbes and insects are intimate members of the necrobiome

ch. 14 Postmortem interval

14.1. The time since death is referred to as the postmortem interval

14.2. The role of insects in estimating the PMI

14.3. Modeling growth-temperature relationships

Contents note continued: 14.4. Calculating the PMI requires experimental data on insect development and information from the crime scene

14.5. The evolving PMI: changing approaches and sources of error

14.6. Total body scores influenced by insect development

ch. 15 Insect stains and artifacts: alterations of bloodstain and body fluid evidence

15.1. Bloodstains are not always what they appear to be at the crime scene

15.2. Science is the cornerstone of bloodstain pattern analyses

15.3. Crash course in bloodstain analyses

15.4. Insect activity can alter blood evidence

15.5. Insect feeding activity can modify the morphology of bloodstains and yield transfer patterns

15.6. Ingested blood may be expelled as digestive artifacts

15.7. Parasitic insects can confound blood evidence by leaving spot artifacts

15.8. How can insect stains be detected?

ch. 16 Necrophagous and parasitic flies as indicators of neglect and abuse

16.1. Parasitic and necrophagous flies can infest humans, pets, and livestock

16.2. Myiasis can be classified based on anatomical location or degree of parasitism

16.3. The conditions that promote facultative myiasis are predictable

16.4. Chemoattraction of flies to the living does not necessarily differ from the odors of death

16.5. Necrophagous and parasitic flies display oviposition and development preferences on their vertebrate "hosts"

16.6. Larval myiasis can be fatal

ch. 17 Wildlife forensics

17.1. Hunting is governed by laws on what species can be killed, how many can be killed, and when they can be killed

17.2. Necrophagous insects that feed on and breed in wildlife show similarities to the fauna found on pigs and humans, but there are differences

17.3. The same methods used to determine minimum PMI for a human case can be used for animals, but the growth rate might be a little different

17.4. Insects may be able show evidence of poisons that lead to death of domestic animals and wildlife

17.5. Insects can provide evidence for crimes involving domestic animals and pets

ch. 18 Forensic entomotoxicology

18.1. Insects can serve as surrogates for human tissues

18.2. Detection of drugs, toxins, and pollutants in carrion-feeding insects

18.3. Detection of gunshot and explosive residues in or using insect

18.4. Chemical impact on insect succession and development

ch. 19 Application of molecular methods to forensic entomology

19.1. Molecular methods

living things can be defined by their DNA

19.2. Evidence collection: preserve the DNA integrity

19.3. Molecular methods of species identification

19.4. DNA barcoding protocol

19.5. Problems encountered in barcoding projects

19.6. Gut content: victim and suspect identifications

19.7. Molecular methods and population genetics

19.8. Molecular methods: non-DNA based

19.9. Validating molecular methods for use as evidence

19.10. Future directions

Chapter Review

ch. 20 Archaeoentomology: insects and archaeology

20.1. Archaeoentomology is a new "old" discipline

20.2. Concepts and techniques from forensic entomology can be applied to archaeology

20.3. Ancient insects and food: connection to stored product entomology

20.4. Ancient insects as pests: beginnings of synanthropy and urban entomology

20.5. Ancient insects and burial practices: revelations about past lives and civilizations

20.6. Forensic archaeoentomology: entomological investigations into extremely "cold" cases

ch. 21 Insects as weapons of war and threats to national security

21.1. Terrorism and biological threats to national security are part of today's world

21.2. Entomological weapons are not new ideas

21.3. Direct entomological threats to human populations are not all historical

21.4. Impending entomological threats to agriculture and food safety

21.5. Insect-borne diseases as new or renewed threats to human health

21.6. Insects can be used as tools for national security

ch. 22 Insects and arthropods that cause death

22.1. Insects that bite, sting or secrete cause fear, loathing, and death

22.2. Insects that cause death

22.3. Human envenomation and intoxication by insect-derived toxins

22.4. Insects that injure humans rely on chemically diverse venoms and toxins

22.5. Non-insect arthropods that cause death

22.6. Implications of deadly insects for forensic entomology

ch. 23 Professional standards and ethics

23.1. General standards and recommendations for forensic science disciplines

23.2. Guidelines for the practice of forensic entomology

23.3. Expectations for forensic entomology technicians

23.4. Ethical considerations for involvement in casework and providing testimony

References

ch. 24 Forensic entomology case studies

24.1. Case studies are important to understanding the context of insect evidence to legal investigations

24.2. Insect evidence associated with homicides and suspicious deaths

24.3. Entomological evidence associated with forensic entomotoxicology

24.4. Postmortem interval determination using insects on a burned corpse

24.5. Insect evidence associated with an indoor decomposition

24.6. Entomological evidence associated with aquatic decompositions

Appendix I Collection and preservation of calyptrate Diptera

Collecting adult flies

Collecting fly larvae

Mounting and preserving specimens (adult flies)

Resources and links

Appendix II Getting specimens identified

Morphological identification of specimens on your own

Identification of specimens (by systematic expert)

Appendix III Necrophagous fly and beetle life table references

Appendix IV Current names for species in Aldrich's Sarcophaga and allies.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Local Notes:

Acquired for the Penn Libraries with assistance from the George Clapp Vaillant Book Fund.

Other Format:

Online version: Rivers, David B. Science of forensic entomology

ISBN:

9781119640660

1119640660

OCLC:

1329419687

Publisher Number:

99993102065