Pigs vs people: the use of pigs as analogues for humans in forensic entomology and taphonomy research.
Animal models
Decomposition ecology
Forensic entomology
Forensic taphonomy
Human corpses
Pig carcasses
Journal
International journal of legal medicine
ISSN: 1437-1596
Titre abrégé: Int J Legal Med
Pays: Germany
ID NLM: 9101456
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
Mar 2020
Mar 2020
Historique:
received:
31
10
2018
accepted:
17
05
2019
revised:
02
05
2019
pubmed:
19
6
2019
medline:
20
11
2020
entrez:
19
6
2019
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
Most studies of decomposition in forensic entomology and taphonomy have used non-human cadavers. Following the recommendation of using domestic pig cadavers as analogues for humans in forensic entomology in the 1980s, pigs became the most frequently used model cadavers in forensic sciences. They have shaped our understanding of how large vertebrate cadavers decompose in, for example, various environments, seasons and after various ante- or postmortem cadaver modifications. They have also been used to demonstrate the feasibility of several new or well-established forensic techniques. The advent of outdoor human taphonomy facilities enabled experimental comparisons of decomposition between pig and human cadavers. Recent comparisons challenged the pig-as-analogue claim in entomology and taphonomy research. In this review, we discuss in a broad methodological context the advantages and disadvantages of pig and human cadavers for forensic research and rebut the critique of pigs as analogues for humans. We conclude that experiments using human cadaver analogues (i.e. pig carcasses) are easier to replicate and more practical for controlling confounding factors than studies based solely on humans and, therefore, are likely to remain our primary epistemic source of forensic knowledge for the immediate future. We supplement these considerations with new guidelines for model cadaver choice in forensic science research.
Identifiants
pubmed: 31209558
doi: 10.1007/s00414-019-02074-5
pii: 10.1007/s00414-019-02074-5
pmc: PMC7044136
doi:
Types de publication
Historical Article
Journal Article
Review
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
793-810Références
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