Forensic Entomology: A Supplement to Forensic Death Investigation

摘要

Despite 150 years of use, forensic entomology is still an emerging field of forensic science and is yet tofind an undisputed place in the legal proceedings on account of the absence of sufficient backgrounddata and also due to the dearth of professional forensic entomologists. At present, very fewentomologists are engaged in this discipline and a lot of useful evidence for estimation of PMI goeswaste due to shortage of base‐line data and adequate expertise. A large base‐line data on thetaxonomy, zoogeographic distribution, biology and ecology of insects involved in the decomposition ofdead animals needs to be established to avail maximal achievement of the objective evidence ofestimating time since death. A thorough knowledge of certain fauna of different geographical areas isrequired for utmost use of insects in forensic investigations. It needs to be realized that a forensicentomologist can be a valuable adjunct to the forensic pathologist since the former can reasonablysupport and defend latter in his estimation of PMI by interpreting the insect evidence either on the basisof cadaver fauna or on the basis of age of developing insects