Incineration effect on the post mortem interval (PMI) estimation and insect succession on monkey carcasses in Malaysia

Abstract

The effect of incineration on corpse may affect the oviposition activities of blowflies and colonisation of maggots on the corpse, resulting in variations on decomposition rate. The present study was conducted to observe the effect of incineration on the PMI and insect succession on a badly incinerated monkey carcasses in a forested area in Gombak, Selangor, Malaysia. The decomposition process of carcasses gone through 4 stages, namely fresh (2 days), decay (1—2 days), advanced decay (1 day) and remains (11—20days). No bloating stage was observed because the abdominal cavity was exposed after incineration process. The fauna succession pattern was similar in both incinerated and non-incinerated carcasses with the succession sequence of firstly Calliphoridae, Sarcophagidae and lastly Muscidae, indicating incineration effect did not affect the pattern of fauna succession. The decomposition rate of incinerated carcasses was faster compared to non-incinerated carcasses and the incineration effect did not deter the arrival and oviposition of flies. Therefore, PMI estimation on incinerated carcass by using insect evidence was not affected by incineration effect.