Etude de l’arthropodofaune nécrophage des cadavres emballés de porcs domestiques à Malombo dans la Région du Centre- Cameroun: applicabilité dans la datation des dépouilles

Abstract

When an animal dies, it is quickly visited and colonized by many organisms such as bacteria, fungi, arthropods as well as vertebrates. These visitors arrive at specific times during the degradation of the corpse, which is influenced both by environmental conditions and by the activity of the various decomposers. Forensic entomology uses the results obtained from the study of scavenging arthropods, considered to be real biological clocks that can detect a carrion from a great distance, to solve criminal cases. It is in this sense that this work was carried out to (1) inventory the necrophagous arthropods colonizing and involved in the decomposition process of the corpses of domestic pigs packaged at different seasons/sites, (2) identify the differents stages of decomposition of the wrapped carcasses and (3) determine the post mortem intervals during the differents climatics seasons/sites in the Malombo forest in the Department of Nyong and Kéllé Central Region of Cameroon. To achieve this objective, from January to november 2018, four healthy pigs, weighing between 63 and 65 kg, two males and two females, were euthanized and then strangulated (with a rope to confirm dead and prevent any bloodshed) and each inserted, in a biodegradable body bag. These remains were deposited in a 5m x 5m quadrat surrounded by a lattice mesh screen 2cm x 2cm which can only allow arthropods colonizing the covered corpse