Forensic Entomology: The Utility of Arthropods in Legal Investigations (2nd Edition)

The first edition of Forensic Entomology: The Utility of Arthropods in Legal Investigations broke ground on all levels, from the caliber of information provided to the inclusion of copious color photographs. With over 100 additional color photographs, an expanded reference appendix, and updated information, the second edition has raised the bar for resources in this field, elucidating the basics on insects of forensic importance. New in the Second Edition: A chapter on insect identification that presents dichotomous keys Updates on DNA molecular techniques and genetic markers Coverage of new standardization in forensic entomological analysis Chapters on climatology and thermoregulation in insects 100 new color photographs, making available a total of 650 color photographs Goes Beyond Dramatics to the Nitty Gritty of Real Practice While many books, movies, and television shows have made forensic entomology popular, this book makes it real. Going beyond dramatics to the nitty gritty of actual practice, it covers what to search for when recovering entomological evidence, how to handle items found at the crime scene, and how to use entomological knowledge in legal investigations. In Memoriam 6 Foreword 10 Preface 12 The Editors 14 Acknowledgments 16 Contributors 18 Table of Contents 20 Dedication 24 Introduction: Perceptions and Status of Forensic Entomology 26 Chapter 1. General Entomology and Insect Biology 42 Chapter 2. Insects of Forensic Importance 64 Chapter 3. Collection of Entomological Evidence during Legal Investigations 152 Chapter 4. Laboratory Rearing of Forensic Insects 202 Chapter 5. Factors That Influence Insect Succession on Carrion 226 Chapter 6. Insect Succession in a Natural Environment 276 Chapter 7. The Role of Aquatic Insects in Forensic Investigations 296 Chapter 8. Recovery of Anthropological, Botanical, and Entomological Evidence from Buried Bodies and Surface Scatter 346 Chapter 9. Estimating the Postmortem Interval 392 Chapter 10. Insect Development and Forensic Entomology 414 Chapter 11. The Soil Environment and Forensic Entomology 432 Chapter 12. Entomotoxicology: Insects as Toxicological Indicators and the Impact of Drugs and Toxins on Insect Development 452 Chapter 13. Molecular Methods for Forensic Entomology 462 Chapter 14. The Forensic Entomologist as Expert Witness 478 Chapter 15. Livestock Entomology 502 Chapter 16. Ecological Theory and Its Application in Forensic Entomology 518 Chapter 17. Forensic Meteorology: The Application of Weather and Climate 544 Chapter 18. Entomological Alteration of Bloodstain Evidence 564 Chapter 19. Keys to the Blow Fly Species (Diptera Calliphoridae) of American, North of Mexico 606 Chapter 20. Cases of Neglect Involving Entomological Evidence 652 Chapter 21. Acarology in Criminolegal Investigations: The Human Acarofauna during Life and Death 662 Index 676 Providing information and instructions on what to search for when recovering entomological evidence and how to handle items found at a crime scene, Forensic Entomology presents the basics on insects of forensic importance as well as the principles of using insects to determine the time of death. --from publisher description. Arthropods are those invertebrate animals with jointed legs, including the insects, arachnids, centipedes, millipedes, and crustaceans.