Keys for identification of insect-fauna of the free-ranging urban dog, Canis domesticus (L.) carcass in tropical region of Pakistan: A tool for forensic entomology

Entomologists use the scientific methods to calculate the time of an organism death through insect communities, as biological indicators which have been studied in Forensic Entomology. In the present study, insect-fauna was identified in carcass of the free-ranging urban dog, Canis domesticus (L.) in tropical region, i.e., Takht Bhai and Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan during 15-25 May 2011. Decomposition of carcass has been divided into 5 stages: a) fresh; b) bloat; c) active decay; d) advanced decay; and e) dry. The collected insects were identified into 11 species of 3 orders. The blowfly, Chrysomya rufifacies (Macquart) and C. megacephala (Fabricius) belonging to family Calliphoridae. The flesh fly, Parasarcophaga ruficornis (Meigen) belonging to family Sarcophagidae; housefly, Musca domestica (Linnaeus) to family Muscidae and cheese fly, Piophila casei (Linnaeus) to family Piophilidae. They are included in order Diptera. The hide beetle, Dermestes maculates (Geer) belonging to family Dermestidae; clown beetle, Hister sp (Gullenhal) to Histeridae; ham beetle, Necrobia rufipes (Fabricus) to Cleridae and skin beetle, Trox sp (Harold) to Trogidae are included in order Coleoptera. The hornet wasp, Vespa orientalis (Linnaeus) belonging to family Vespidae and jummper ant, Myrmecia pilosula (Smith) to family Formicidae were included in order Hymenoptera. Chrysomya rufifacies and M. pilosula first arrived to the carcass. Chrysomya rufifacies's adults, larvae and pupae dominated the early stages (fresh and bloat) of decomposition. Histers sp adults, larvae and pupae dominated the later stages (active decay and advanced decay) of decomposition. For a case study of death, this research will be helpful to investigate of crimes in tropical regions of Pakistan for forensic entomologists, as biological indicator and scientific evidence in court.