Time Flies—Age Grading of Adult Flies for the Estimation of the Post-Mortem Interval
The estimation of the minimum time since death is one of the main applications of forensic entomology. This can be done by calculating the age of the immature stage of necrophagous flies developing on the corpse, which is confined to approximately 2–4 weeks, depending on temperature and species of t...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-01-01
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| Series: | Diagnostics |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/11/2/152 |
| _version_ | 1797409081859768320 |
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| author | Jens Amendt Valentina Bugelli Victoria Bernhardt |
| author_facet | Jens Amendt Valentina Bugelli Victoria Bernhardt |
| author_sort | Jens Amendt |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The estimation of the minimum time since death is one of the main applications of forensic entomology. This can be done by calculating the age of the immature stage of necrophagous flies developing on the corpse, which is confined to approximately 2–4 weeks, depending on temperature and species of the first colonizing wave of flies. Adding the age of the adult flies developed on the dead body could extend this time frame up to several weeks when the body is in a building or closed premise. However, the techniques for accurately estimating the age of adult flies are still in their beginning stages or not sufficiently validated. Here we review the current state of the art of analysing the aging of flies by evaluating the ovarian development, the amount of pteridine in the eyes, the degree of wing damage, the modification of their cuticular hydrocarbon patterns, and the increasing number of growth layers in the cuticula. New approaches, including the use of age specific molecular profiles based on the levels of gene and protein expression and the application of near infrared spectroscopy, are introduced, and the forensic relevance of these methods is discussed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T04:09:11Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ea8b8bd922c64352b24bd78bea59698c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-4418 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T04:09:11Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Diagnostics |
| spelling | doaj.art-ea8b8bd922c64352b24bd78bea59698c2023-12-03T14:03:04ZengMDPI AGDiagnostics2075-44182021-01-0111215210.3390/diagnostics11020152Time Flies—Age Grading of Adult Flies for the Estimation of the Post-Mortem IntervalJens Amendt0Valentina Bugelli1Victoria Bernhardt2Institute of Legal Medicine, University Hospital Frankfurt/Main, Goethe-University, 60323 Frankfurt/Main, GermanyDipartimento di Scienze della Salute, Sezione di Scienze Medico Forensi, Università di Firenze, 50134 Firenze, ItalyInstitute of Legal Medicine, University Hospital Frankfurt/Main, Goethe-University, 60323 Frankfurt/Main, GermanyThe estimation of the minimum time since death is one of the main applications of forensic entomology. This can be done by calculating the age of the immature stage of necrophagous flies developing on the corpse, which is confined to approximately 2–4 weeks, depending on temperature and species of the first colonizing wave of flies. Adding the age of the adult flies developed on the dead body could extend this time frame up to several weeks when the body is in a building or closed premise. However, the techniques for accurately estimating the age of adult flies are still in their beginning stages or not sufficiently validated. Here we review the current state of the art of analysing the aging of flies by evaluating the ovarian development, the amount of pteridine in the eyes, the degree of wing damage, the modification of their cuticular hydrocarbon patterns, and the increasing number of growth layers in the cuticula. New approaches, including the use of age specific molecular profiles based on the levels of gene and protein expression and the application of near infrared spectroscopy, are introduced, and the forensic relevance of these methods is discussed.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/11/2/152forensic entomologypteridinecuticular hydrocarbonsNIRSgene expressionproteomics |
| spellingShingle | Jens Amendt Valentina Bugelli Victoria Bernhardt Time Flies—Age Grading of Adult Flies for the Estimation of the Post-Mortem Interval Diagnostics forensic entomology pteridine cuticular hydrocarbons NIRS gene expression proteomics |
| title | Time Flies—Age Grading of Adult Flies for the Estimation of the Post-Mortem Interval |
| title_full | Time Flies—Age Grading of Adult Flies for the Estimation of the Post-Mortem Interval |
| title_fullStr | Time Flies—Age Grading of Adult Flies for the Estimation of the Post-Mortem Interval |
| title_full_unstemmed | Time Flies—Age Grading of Adult Flies for the Estimation of the Post-Mortem Interval |
| title_short | Time Flies—Age Grading of Adult Flies for the Estimation of the Post-Mortem Interval |
| title_sort | time flies age grading of adult flies for the estimation of the post mortem interval |
| topic | forensic entomology pteridine cuticular hydrocarbons NIRS gene expression proteomics |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/11/2/152 |
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