The Study of Forensically Important Insects Recovered from Human Corpses in Taiwan

SIMPLE SUMMARY: The identification of insect species, larval development and succession sequencing on remains can provide information for estimating the minimum post-mortem interval (min-PMI). Many forensic entomology experiments using animal carcasses to study the insect’s activities have been reported for the past decades from different areas. Entomological data from human cadavers have been actively reported since the year 2000 from several countries. In this study, we reported and summarized the data of forensically important species associated with human corpses by collecting insect specimens from 114 forensic cases during 2011–2018 in Taiwan. Twenty-two species representing nine families were identified. Locations (indoor vs. outdoor), environments (urban vs. suburban), and temperatures are the important factors affecting insect communities. The fundamental data of case frequency and abundance of forensically significant insects recovered from human cadavers in Taiwan would be beneficial for forensic practitioners and criminal investigations. ABSTRACT: A study of entomological specimens recovered from 117 human corpses in 114 forensic cases was conducted in Taiwan between 2011 and 2018. The comparisons and discussions of the entomological data were based on the locations (indoor vs. outdoor), environments (urban vs. suburban), season and decomposition stages of corpses. In the study, both morphology and DNA-based comparison methods were used to facilitate species identification. In total, nine families and twenty-two species were thus identified. The two most abundant fly species recovered from human corpses were Chrysomya megacephala (35.1%, 1735 out of 4949) and Chrysomya rufifacies (21.7%, 1072 out of 4949). As for case frequency, both the two were also the most common fly species (both 40%, 46 out of 114), particularly in outdoor cases (also both 74%, 25 out of 34). We found that Chrysomya pinguis and Lucilia porphyrina appeared in low temperature scenes in this study. Synthesiomyia nudiseta was the most common species detected on indoor (36%, 29 out of 80 cases) and urban (41%, 22 out of 54 cases) corpses. Sarcophagidae were strongly associated with urban environments (35%, 19 out of 54 cases), and Parasarcophaga (Liosarcophaga) dux, Liopygia ruficornis and Boettcherisca peregrina were the most frequent sarcophagid species collected from corpses. Hydrotaea spinigera was often found on corpses immersed in water (60%, three out of five cases) with advanced decay or remains stages. Megaselia scalaris was closely correlated with indoor cases (24%, 19 out of 80). In addition, Piophila megastigmata was collected from a corpse in the remains stage and the data represent the first report in Taiwan.