Abstract
BackgroundVenezuela has experienced soaring rates of violent crime, in particular, homicides. The Aragua state with 142 to 168 crimes per 100,000 inhabitants has the highest homicide rate in the last 5 years. All these cases are transferred to the estate morgue. Entomological evidence on cadavers has been used as a tool to clarify the death causes. Due to this, we analyzed the occurrence of forensically important dipteran species on facilities of the Caña de Azúcar morgue in Aragua, Venezuela.FindingsA total of 692 adult insects belonging to five species of Calliphoridae and Muscidae were collected at the Caña de Azúcar morgue premises (body holding area and autopsy room). Chrysomya megacephala and Musca domestica were the most frequent species in the morgue areas. Other species with forensic importance were also found: Lucilia cuprina, Chrysomya albiceps, and Ophyra aenescens.ConclusionsThe results could be used as additional sources of information in Venezuelan criminal investigations.
Highlights
Human bodies suffer a series of physicochemical and microbiological changes that modify their anatomy
This is achieved by taxonomic determination of the species of forensic importance, as well as their instar identification to establish the Minimum postmortem interval (mPMI) (Vanin et al 2011; Thyssen et al 2012; Ururahy et al 2013)
Three Calliphoridae species were registered in the facilities of Caña de Azúcar morgue (CAM), which coincides with previous entomological studies in the Aragua state (Magaña et al 2006; Velasquez et al 2017)
Summary
Human bodies suffer a series of physicochemical and microbiological changes that modify their anatomy. The entomologist’s work begins when there is entomological evidence, which requires a specialized study of the species involved, stage of development in which the insect was collected, life cycle, and other aspects of its biology When obtaining this data, it is sought to provide information within the forensic context: primary species colonizer, ecological succession, development at the Venezuela has experienced soaring rates of violent crime, in particular, homicides (Tremaria 2016; UNODC 2019). Data regarded from a non-governmental organization known as the Venezuelan Violence Observatory provides information on homicide rates and showed that the Aragua state presents the highest homicide rate in the last 5 years (142 to 168 crimes per 100, 000 inhabitants) All these cases are transferred to the estate morgue, located in Caña de Azúcar neighborhood at 130 km from the Caracas. We analyzed the occurrence of forensically important dipteran species on facilities of the Caña de Azúcar morgue in Aragua, Venezuela
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