1. Shells and Bones: A Forensic Medicine Study of the Association of Terrestrial Snail Allopeas micra with Buried Human Remains in Brazil.
- Author
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Galvão MF, Pujol-Luz JR, de Assis Pujol-Luz CV, de Rosa CT, Simone LR, Báo SN, Barros-Cordeiro KB, Pessoa L, and Bissacot G
- Subjects
- Adult, Animals, Brazil, Forensic Anthropology, Humans, Male, Microscopy, Electron, Scanning, Bone and Bones pathology, Burial, Snails
- Abstract
Little is known regarding the scavenger fauna associated with buried human corpses, particularly in clandestine burials. We report the presence of 20 shells of the terrestrial snail Allopeas micra, within hollow bones of human remains buried for 5 years, during the process of collecting DNA material. The fact that a large number of shells of A. micra had been found in the corpse and in the crime scene supports the assumption that there was no attempt to remove the corpse from the area where the crime occurred. Despite this, our observations cannot be used to estimate the postmortem interval because there is no precise knowledge about the development of this species. This is the first record of a terrestrial snail associated with a human corpse and its role in this forensic medicine case., (© 2015 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.)
- Published
- 2015
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