First Report of Dermestes frischii Kugelann (Coleoptera: Dermestidae) on a Human Corpse, South of Iran

The necrophagous species of beetles provide useful complementary data to estimate the post-mortem interval in forensic cases. We report, for the first time, Dermestes frischii Kugelann, 1792 larvae from a mummified human body covered with bushes and located in a canal in Sarvestan district, Fars province, south of Iran. The human corpse was a 63 year old male. The time of death was estimated to have been 23 days prior to the finding of the body based on the police investigations and confessions of a suspect. This beetle can be helpful to estimate the time of death in the future

Saprinus planiusculus (Motschulsky‚ 1849) (Coleoptera: Histeridae), a beetle species of forensic importance in Khuzetan Province, Iran

Abstract Background Medico legal forensic entomology is the science and study of cadaveric arthropods related to criminal investigations. The study of beetles is particularly important in forensic cases. This can be important in determining the time of death and also obtain qualitative information about the location of the crime. The aim of this study was to introduce the Saprinus planiusculus on a rat carrion as a beetle species of forensic importance in Khuzestan province. Methods This study was carried out using a laboratory bred rat (Wistar rat) as a model for human decomposition. The rat was killed by contusion and placed in a location adjacent to the Karun River. Observations and collections of beetles were made daily during May to July 2015. Results Decomposition time for rat carrion lasted 38 days and S. planiusculus was seen in the fresh to post decay stages of body decomposition and the largest number of this species caught in the decay stage. Conclusion The species of beetle found in this case could be used in forensic investigations, particularly during the warm season in the future

First Report of Dermestes frischii Kugelann (Coleoptera: Dermestidae) on a Human Corpse, South of Iran

The necrophagous species of beetles provide useful complementary data to estimate the post-mortem interval in forensic cases. We report, for the first time, Dermestes frischii Kugelann, 1792 larvae from a mummified human body covered with bushes and located in a canal in Sarvestan district, Fars province, south of Iran. The human corpse was a 63 year old male. The time of death was estimated to have been 23 days prior to the finding of the body based on the police investigations and confessions of a suspect. This beetle can be helpful to estimate the time of death in the future

First Forensic Record of Blowfly, Calliphora vicina, Larvae on an Indoor Human Corpse in Winter, South of Iran

A new report of necrophagous blowfly, Calliphora vicina (Diptera: Calliphoridae), larvae from a human corpse found in the bathroom of a house during winter in Shiraz, Fars province, south of Iran, is presented. An autopsy revealed that the cadaver was an 83-year-old solitary-living Iranian female having a stroke during bath. The minimum time elapsed since death was estimated to have been less than 5 days prior to the discovery of the bloated cadaver at defined ambient temperatures. As such, this synanthropic species was associated with the early wave of colonizing cadaver-feeding insects that were found on a corpse after death. This is the first corroborated evidence of a forensic entomology case involving this bluebottle blowfly species of insect in south of Iran and this species can be helpful in the future to support the estimation on the time elapsed since death in this region

Preliminary Data on Life Cycle of Creophilus maxillosus Linnaeus (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) and New Report of this Species on a Human Corpse, South of Iran

Beetles (Coleoptera) have been recognized as significant entomological evidence in the forensic entomology field in estimating the postmortem interval (PMI). We report on the colonization of an adult human corpse by three beetle species in Sadra district, Fars province, south of Iran. The adults of Creophilus maxillosus, Dermestes frischii and Hister sp were all collected from the victim’s body which had been wrapped in a sack. For the life cycle study, Creophilus maxillosus (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) adult beetles were allowed to feed, mate and oviposit in rearing chamber (11 × 9 cm) at 23 ± 1°C. Development rates from the instance mates placed together to the emergence of adults was 41 days. Information from this study can be helpful in forensic entomology study