Differential Decomposition Among Pig, Rabbit, and Human Remains12. Issue 6 (30th March 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Dautartas, Angela; Kenyhercz, Michael W.; Vidoli, Giovanna M.; Meadows Jantz, Lee; Mundorff, Amy; Steadman, Dawnie Wolfe
• Is Part Of: Journal of forensic sciences. Volume 63:Issue 6(2018)
• Page Start: 1673
• Page End: 1683
• Publication Date: 2018-03-30
• Subjects: forensic science -- forensic anthropology -- taphonomy -- postmortem interval -- decomposition -- animal models; Medical jurisprudence -- Periodicals; Forensic sciences -- Periodicals; Forensic Medicine -- Periodicals; Gerechtelijke geneeskunde; Gerechtelijke chemie; Gerechtelijke psychiatrie; 363.2505
• DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.13784
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-1198

Abstract

Abstract: While nonhuman animal remains are often utilized in forensic research to develop methods to estimate the postmortem interval, systematic studies that directly validate animals as proxies for human decomposition are lacking. The current project compared decomposition rates among pigs, rabbits, and humans at the University of Tennessee's Anthropology Research Facility across three seasonal trials that spanned nearly 2 years. The Total Body Score (TBS) method was applied to quantify decomposition changes and calculate the postmortem interval (PMI) in accumulated degree days (ADD). Decomposition trajectories were analyzed by comparing the estimated and actual ADD for each seasonal trial and by fuzzy cluster analysis. The cluster analysis demonstrated that the rabbits formed one group while pigs and humans, although more similar to each other than either to rabbits, still showed important differences in decomposition patterns. The decomposition trends show that neither nonhuman model captured the pattern, rate, and variability of human decomposition.