ISSN: 0022-1198
CODEN: JFSCA
Page Count: 11

Use of Aquatic Insects in Determining Submersion Interval
Hawley, DA
Assistant professor, and professor and director, Indiana University School of Medicine, IN

McShaffrey, DG
Graduate research assistant, graduate research assistant, and professor, Purdue University, IN

Pless, JE
Assistant professor, and professor and director, Indiana University School of Medicine, IN

Haskell, NH
Graduate research assistant, graduate research assistant, and professor, Purdue University, IN

Williams, RE
Graduate research assistant, graduate research assistant, and professor, Purdue University, IN

(Received 27 May 1988; accepted 29 July 1988)

Abstract

Although its potential is great, the use of aquatic insects in determining submersion intervals at death-scene investigations has not been exploited in the past. Aquatic environments have no known true specific indicator species, as do terrestrial habitats. However, aquatic environmental studies show that organisms may colonize a substrate dependent on factors such as size, position, exposure to current, water temperature, current speed, water depth, the presence of algal communities, or detritus. Certain aquatic insects such as the chironomid midges (Diptera, Chironomidae), and the caddisflies (Trichoptera), are capable of colonizing immersed bodies; and with the known biology of a specific species of insect for a certain geographic area, time intervals of submersion can be established.

Keywords:
pathology and biology, entomology, insects, postmortem interval, decomposition, carrion insects

Paper ID: JFS12682J
DOI: 10.1520/JFS12682J
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