Year : 2003, Volume : 1, Issue : 3
First page : ( 1) Last page : ( 1)
Print ISSN : 0973-1970. Online ISSN : 0974-4487.

Insect faunal succession on decaying rabbit carcasses in Punjab, indiastrological birth signs in suicide: Hypothesis or speculation?

Bharti Meenakshi¹, Singh Devinder¹

¹J Forensic Sci 2003; 48(5): 1133–1143

Abstract

Insect faunal succession on decaying rabbit carcasses was carried out at Punjabi University, Punjab, India, from March 1997 to December 1999. Four stages of decomposition were recognized, i.e. fresh, bloated, decay and dry. A total of 38 insect species belonging to four orders and 13 families were recorded. Diptera, coleoptera and hymenoptera dominated the carrion fauna. Calliphorids were the first to arrive in all the seasons of the year. Five species of Calliphoridae, four of Sarcophagidae, ten of Muscidae and one from Anthomyiidae and Otitidae were observed in rabbit carcasses. Representatives of six coleopteran families i.e. Stahpylinidae, Histerdae, Cleridae, Dermestidae, Tenebrionidae and Silphidae were recorded. Eight species belonging to family Formicidae (hymenoptera) were also collected during the present studies only one species of Lepidoptera was observed on carrion.

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