Abstract
Introduction: This is the first report on insects associated with rabbit carcasses in indoor environment in Kuching, Sarawak. Methods: This study was conducted on June till August of 2016. Rabbit carcasses (Oryctolagous cuniculus) which were used as the animal model, were placed inside a dark room in a building at Forensic Medicine Department in Sarawak General Hospital. The fly larvae infesting on the carcasses were collected until the decomposition process completed. Throughout the 15 days of experiment, the fly larvae were sampled on the carcasses indoor at 28.9 ± 0.3 °C and 69.6 ± 1.0% humidity. Results: The fly larvae activity was observed during the active decay stage and was identified as Synthesiomyia nudiseta (van der Wulp, 1883) (Diptera: Muscidae) and Sarcophaga spp. (Diptera: Sarcophagidae). Only these two species were found co-existing on the carcasses. Conclusions: S. nudiseta and Sarcophaga spp. could be used as an entomological evidence involving indoor cases in Kuching, Sarawak because both species were dominant and active carcass decomposers in indoor environment.
Highlights
This is the first report on insects associated with rabbit carcasses in indoor environment in Kuching, Sarawak
We report the decomposition process and the associated fly larvae infesting on the carcasses in indoor environment, Kuching, Sarawak from June – August of 2016
The rabbit carcass was prepared by a trained animal handling personnel from Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) (1.462804, 110.431832) (Figure 2)
Summary
This is the first report on insects associated with rabbit carcasses in indoor environment in Kuching, Sarawak. There are several factors that can affect the body decomposition and insects’ composition on carrion, such as scene context (indoor, outdoor) [2], body position (hanging, burial depth) [3,4], body condition (burned, cause of death, etc.) [5], and individual characteristics of the cadaver (age, sex, body weight, and microbiome) [6]. All these factors can change the rate of decomposition, insect succession, and insect composition
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