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Cited by 251Forensic Entomology and Diptera StudiesForensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology StudiesDiptera species taxonomy and behavior

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 1 of the 1 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

Pigs vs people: the use of pigs as analogues for humans in forensic entomology and taphonomy research

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Matuszewski, Szymon, Hall, Martin J. R., Moreau, Gaétan, Schoenly, Kenneth G., Tarone, Aaron M., Villet, Martin H.·2020·International Journal of Legal Medicine
DOI 10.1007/s00414-019-02074-5PMC PMC7044136
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Abstract

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.

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  • Matuszewski and colleagues recommend a minimum weight of 30 kg for pigs as human analogues in forensic entomology.

    “Matuszewski and colleagues recommend a minimum weight of 30 kg in forensic entomology [28].”

    From Forensic experiments on animal scavenging: A systematic literature review on what we have and what we need (2023) · cites this paper as [28]

    The Recommendations section rejects a universal model cadaver or mass threshold. Table 5 gives no mass minimum for early-colonizer studies, at least 20 kg for early- and middle-colonizer studies, and at least 40 kg for studies of all colonizers—not a general 30 kg minimum. (LLM, conf=0.88)

    Checked by a reasoning model — may be wrong.

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • For taphonomy studies, a distance of at least 30-50 m were found to be sufficient to ensure sample independence.

    “For taphonomy studies, a distance of at least 30 -50 m were found to be sufficient to ensure sample independence [28,169].”

    From Forensic experiments on animal scavenging: A systematic literature review on what we have and what we need (2023) · cites this paper as [28]

    The Experimental design section (page not available in our copy) says there is empirical support for placing cadavers at least 50 m apart to ensure independence in forensic entomology experiments. It does not establish that 30 m is sufficient, or that a 30–50 m threshold was found sufficient for taphonomy studies; it says cadavers in two taphonomy studies placed closer than 50 m apart were not demonstrably independent. (LLM, conf=0.88)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Previously published systematic reviews of forensic decomposition experiments focus on decomposition, arthropod activity, or general experimental design and analysis in forensic taphonomy, rather than explicitly looking at scavenging and scattering.

    “previously published systematic reviews of forensic decomposition experiments focus on decomposition, arthropod activity, or general experimental design and analysis in forensic taphonomy [26 -29], rather than explicitly looking at scavenging and scattering.”

    From Forensic experiments on animal scavenging: A systematic literature review on what we have and what we need (2023) · cites this paper as [28]

  • Results from animal studies need validation on humans and should not be directly transferred to forensic (anthropological) cases.

    “results from animal studies need validation on humans and should not be directly transferred to forensic (anthropo­ logical) cases, as stressed in several publications [27,28,138,142].”

    From Forensic experiments on animal scavenging: A systematic literature review on what we have and what we need (2023) · cites this paper as [28]

  • Non-humans are easier to acquire, even in large numbers and with homogenous properties.

    “while non-humans are easier to acquire, even in large numbers and with homogenous properties [28].”

    From Forensic experiments on animal scavenging: A systematic literature review on what we have and what we need (2023) · cites this paper as [28]

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Metadata

Authors
Matuszewski, S., Hall, M. J. R., Moreau, G., Schoenly, K. G., Tarone, A. M., & Villet, M. H.
Affiliations
  • Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań (PL)
  • Natural History Museum (GB)
  • Université de Moncton (CA)
  • California State University, Stanislaus (US)
  • Texas A&M University (US)
  • Rhodes University (ZA)
Corresponding author
Matuszewski, Szymon
ORCID
Venue
International Journal of Legal Medicine
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2019-06-17
Volume
134
Issue
2
Pages
793-810
ISSN
  • 0044-3433 (ISSN-L)
  • 0937-9827
  • 1437-1596
DOI
10.1007/s00414-019-02074-5
PMC
PMC7044136
OpenAlex
W2953040380
Cited by
251
References
1
Citations by year
2026: 44 · 2025: 37 · 2024: 41 · 2023: 40 · 2022: 26 · 2021: 36 · 2020: 25 · 2019: 2
FWCI
2.42
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • International Journal of Legal Medicine (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Natural History Museum, London (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Funders
Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Insect Science › Forensic Entomology and Diptera Studies
  • Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Archeology (arts and humanities) › Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Studies
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics › Diptera species taxonomy and behavior
Keywords
forensic entomology, taphonomy, pig carcasses, experimental replication, confounding factors
MeSH terms
Forensic Entomology, Animals, Cadaver, Humans, Research Design, Swine, Models, Animal, Forensic Sciences, History, 19th Century, History, 20th Century, History, 21st Century

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