法医昆虫学
法医昆虫学(Forensic entomology),为应用昆虫及其他自然科学的理论与技术,研究并解决司法实践中有关昆虫问题的一门科学。
在自然界中,昆虫不仅取食动物的尸体,还在其尸体中活动,促使大量微生物进入尸体,使之加速崩溃。为法医昆虫学一切工作的基础。
历史
由宋朝法医学家宋慈在淳祐七年(1247年)成书的法医学案例著作《洗冤集录》含括了已知最古老的法医昆虫学案件。该谋杀案于端平二年(1235年)发生,一名村民被人用刀刺死。仵作们认为死者的创伤是由镰刀造成的,而镰刀是种在收获季节用于割稻的工具,这一事实使他们怀疑同伴农工涉有重嫌。地方县令将村民都聚集在衙门广场,以便暂时收缴镰刀。几分钟内,一大群苍蝇循着人类无法识别的血迹气味而来,围着一把镰刀,对其他的不屑一顾。很显然地,该镰刀的所有者便是罪魁祸首,后来该农工被捕快拿下后请求宽恕。[1]
尸虫的工作
根据法医人类学家李衍蒨文章〈昆虫学二三事 (页面存档备份,存于互联网档案馆)〉,人类尸体为其体内的酵素及细菌提供食物,更是昆虫及动物的盛宴。而苍蝇多半会于人体死亡后的数小时内找到尸体所在。“母蝇会因为侦测到尸体发出的味道而赶到产卵,特定品种的苍蝇会在尸体的伤口,或带有水分而空气接触得到的部分产卵,孵化后便成为有尸虫之称的蛆虫(maggots),亦即苍蝇幼虫(larvae)。”(李衍蒨,2017年)[2]
尸虫的种类
根据法医人类学家李衍蒨文章〈昆虫学二三事 (页面存档备份,存于互联网档案馆)〉,在尸体上常见的苍蝇品种有麻蝇(Sarcophagidae),丽蝇(Calliphoridae) ,黑水虻(Hermetia illucens)。
麻蝇(Sarcophagidae)
“俗称肉蝇,通常会在有腐肉、粪便或任何正在腐败的物质上产下幼虫,极少在伤口上产蛆。”(李衍蒨,2017年)
丽蝇(Calliphoridae)
“最先与尸体接触的昆虫,可以在 1.6 公里以外的地方闻到尸体的气味。雌性的丽蝇会在产卵前进食腐肉,继而出现在尸体周遭。牠们每次产卵超过 100 颗,一生约可产下 2,000 颗,产下的卵看上去很像米粒或一堆堆的饭团。丽蝇有绿色、蓝色及黑色,触角有光芒。由卵孵化成丽蝇幼虫约需最多一天的时间,并有 3 个发育阶段。每个阶段的身长都有明显分别,亦会脱皮。由于牠们的体温会受环境而改变,其生长速度亦因而受到影响。在室温下,牠们从卵变成蛹大约需要一个星期,变成蛹前的幼虫会离开尸体,并躲到尸体下面或尸体下的泥土待着,之后就会以丽蝇的姿态再次探索这个世界。”(李衍蒨,2017年)
黑水虻(Hermetia illucens)
“俗称Black Soldier Fly,生存力强,强项是抢夺蛆虫的食物 —— 腐肉,进而驱逐蝇蛆!”(李衍蒨,2017年)
注释
- ^ Haskell (2006), 432.
- ^ 李衍蒨:昆蟲學二三事. *CUP. 2021-06-27 [2022-06-28]. (原始内容存档于2022-06-28) (美国英语).
参考文献
- 《法医昆虫学》,胡萃著,重庆出版社出版,2000年
- Haskell, Neal H. (2006). "The Science of Forensic Entomology," in Forensic Science and Law: Investigative Applications in Criminal, Civil, and Family Justice, 431–440. Edited by Cyril H. Wecht and John T. Rago. Boca Raton: CRC Press, an imprint of Taylor and Francis Group. ISBN 0849319706.
延伸阅读
- Bass, William; Jon Jefferson. Death's Acre: Inside the Legendary Forensic Lab The Body Farm. Penguin. 2004. ISBN 978-0-425-19832-2.
- Byrd, J. H.; J. L. Castner. Forensic Entomology: The Utility of Arthropods in Legal Investigations. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press. 2001. ISBN 0-8493-8120-7.
- Catts, E. P. & N. H. Haskell (编). Entomology & Death: A Procedural Guide. Clemson, SC: Joyce's Print Shop, Inc. 1990. ISBN 0-9628696-0-0. Spiralbound also aimed at professional entomologists, but shorter and with a popular style.
- Catts, E P; Goff, M L. Forensic Entomology in Criminal Investigations. Annual Review of Entomology. 1992-01, 37 (1) [2022-11-24]. ISSN 0066-4170. PMID 1539937. doi:10.1146/annurev.en.37.010192.001345. (原始内容存档于2022-11-24) (英语).
- Eisner, Thomas, Maria Eisner & Melody Siegler. Secret Weapons. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. 2005. ISBN 978-0-674-01882-2.
- Gennard, Dorothy E. Forensic entomology : an introduction. Chichester, England: John Wiley & Sons. 2007. ISBN 0-470-01478-4. OCLC 71810084.
- Goff, M. L. A Fly for the Prosecution: How Insect Evidence Helps Solve Crimes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. 2000. ISBN 0-674-00220-2.
- Greenberg, B.; J. C. Kunich. Entomology and the Law: Flies as Forensic Indicators. Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press. 2002. ISBN 0-521-80915-0.
- Jakubec, Pavel. Thermal summation model and instar determination of all developmental stages of necrophagous beetle, Sciodrepoides watsoni (Spence) (Coleoptera: Leiodidae: Cholevinae). PeerJ. 2016-04-21, 4 [2019-01-03]. ISSN 2167-8359. PMC 4846804 . PMID 27123379. doi:10.7717/peerj.1944. (原始内容存档于2023-03-26) (英语).
- Leclerque, M. Entomologie médicale et Médecine légale Datation de la Mort. Paris: Masson. 1978.
- Liu, D.; B. Greenberg. Immature stages of some flies of forensic importance. Annals of the Entomological Society of America. 1989, 82 (1): 80–93.
- Nuorteva, P. Sarcosaprophagous insects as forensic indicators. C. G. Tedeschi; W. G. Eckert; L. G. Tedeschi (编). Forensic Medicine: a Study in Trauma and Environmental Hazards II. New York: W. B. Saunders. 1977: 1072–1095.
- Smith, K. G. V. A Manual of Forensic Entomology. Ithaca, NY: Comstock Publishing Associates, Cornell University Press. 1986. ISBN 0-8014-1927-1. A technical hardback designed for professional entomologists.
- Wells, Jeffrey D.; Stevens, Jamie R. Application of DNA-Based Methods in Forensic Entomology. Annual Review of Entomology. 2008-01-01, 53 (1) [2022-11-24]. ISSN 0066-4170. PMID 17685848. doi:10.1146/annurev.ento.52.110405.091423. (原始内容存档于2022-11-27) (英语).
外部链接
- 开放目录项目中的“Forensic Entomology”
- www.forensic-entomology.com by Dr. Jason H. Byrd
- European Association for Forensic Entomology homepage
- Collection of original articles about Forensic Entomology. Many downloadable illustrated pdf's of cases, including neglect cases. (页面存档备份,存于互联网档案馆)
- Institute of Forensic Entomology Vienna Click on the pictures for enlargements and graphs
- What happens to the body after death (页面存档备份,存于互联网档案馆)
- Pastoral putrefaction down on the Body Farm: Autopsy, HBO Documentaries (页面存档备份,存于互联网档案馆)
- Dating Death Great Moments of Science
- DNA techniques for forensic entomology (页面存档备份,存于互联网档案馆)
- pdf about forensic entomology Deon Canyon
- Forensic Entomology page from Australia (Ian Dadour)
- Visible Proofs (页面存档备份,存于互联网档案馆)
- Medical Zoology Pages
- Survey on carrion-visiting beetles – Research into the fauna of carrion-visiting beetles in Erlangen, Bavaria (2006): Carrion is an ecosystem of its own. Diverse species of beetles – belonging to different guilds – arrive and depart from carrion at different times – succession occurs. The arrival time and growth rates of beetles inhabiting corpses depending on weather, location and type of carrion have been studied.
- History of Forensic Entomology (many illustrations) (页面存档备份,存于互联网档案馆)
- Diagnosis and Keys to South American Coleoptera of Forensic Importance (页面存档备份,存于互联网档案馆)
- Forensic entomology - use of insects to help solve crime
- A Forensic Entomology Case from the Amazon Rain Forest of Brazil
- Run models and calculate degree-days (页面存档备份,存于互联网档案馆)
- Growing Degree Days
- Grounds Maintenance magazine (页面存档备份,存于互联网档案馆)
- Opinel, Annick. The Emergence of French Medical Entomology: The Influence of Universities, the Institut Pasteur and Military Physicians (1890– c. 1938). Medical History. 2008-05, 52 (3): 387-405. ISSN 0025-7273. PMC 2449474 . PMID 18641790. doi:10.1017/S0025727300002696 (英语).