CASE REPORT PATHOLOGY ⁄ BIOLOGY Marta I. SaloÇa, 1 Ph.D.; M. Lourdes Moraza, 2 Ph.D.; Miguel Carles-Tolrµ, 3 Ph.D.; Victor Iraola, 4 Ph.D.; Pablo Bahillo, 5 Ph.D.; Tomµs YØlamos, 6 Ph.D.; Raimundo Outerelo, 7 Ph.D.; and Rafael Alcaraz, 8 M.D. Searching the Soil: Forensic Importance of Edaphic Fauna After the Removal of a Corpse ABSTRACT: Arthropods at different stages of development collected from human remains in an advanced stage of decomposition (following autopsy) and from the soil at the scene are reported. The corpse was found in a mixed deciduous forest of Biscay (northern Spain). Soil fauna was extracted by sieving the soil where the corpse lay and placing the remains in Berlese–Tullgren funnels. Necrophagous fauna on the human remains was dominated by the fly Piophilidae: Stearibia nigriceps (Meigen, 1826), mites Ascidae: Proctolaelaps epuraeae (Hirschmann, 1963), Laelapidae: Hypoaspis (Gaeolaelaps) aculeifer (Canestrini, 1884), and the beetle Cleridae: Necrobia rufipes (de Geer, 1775). We confirm the importance of edaphic fauna, especially if the deceased is discovered in natural environs. Related fauna may remain for days after corpse removal and reveal infor- mation related to the circumstances of death. The species Nitidulidae: Omosita depressa (Linnaeus, 1758), Acaridae: Sancassania berlesei (Michael, 1903), Ascidae: Zerconopsis remiger (Kramer, 1876) and P. epuraeae, Urodinychidae: Uroobovella pulchella (Berlese, 1904), and Macrochelidae: Glyptholaspis americana (Berlese, 1888) were recorded for the first time in the Iberian Peninsula. KEYWORDS: forensic science, forensic entomology, human corpse, edaphic fauna, Stearibia nigriceps, Glyptholaspis americana, Hypoaspis (G.) aculeifer, Proctolaelaps epuraeae, Sancassania berlesei, Uroobovella pulchella, Zerconopsis remiger A corpse generates new biological processes that evolve accord- ing to the environment in which it is found as it produces impor- tant changes in the soil (1). The natural inhabitants of undisturbed soils disappear and new organisms take their place, resulting in a new ecosystem dominated by the cadaveric fauna (1,2). The study of the dynamics of colonization, development, and succession pat- terns of necrophagous fauna on a corpse or carrion is at the heart of medico-criminal entomology (2). Moreover, for corpses found in advanced stages of decomposition, arthropods may provide the only method available for estimating a minimum postmortem interval (PMI) (3). It should be noted, however, that the estimate of PMI for a corpse in an advanced stage of decomposition may be unreli- able as successional waves elapse over time and numerous environ- mental factors come into play that may diminish the accuracy of the estimate (3,4). Indeed, corpses in an advanced stage of decom- position can provide important information relating to succession periods rarely reported (5–8). This paper presents the first forensic case where arthropods have been collected from a corpse in an advanced stage of decomposi- tion in the Basque Country (north of Spain) and where soil biota has been previously studied under natural conditions (9,10). This was the first chance to gather important information about arthro- pods associated with a body in an advanced stage of decomposition in this area and it highlights the need to carefully examine a broad perimeter adjacent to the human remains to avoid losing, ignoring, or underestimating critical forensic evidence. Material and Methods Case Description In August 2003, the remains of a young man were discovered near the edge of a mixed deciduous forest in a rural area of Biscay (northern Spain). The corpse was lying on the ground, completely dressed, reduced to a skeleton bearing the remains of dried soft tis- sue, and covered with mites and insects. The deceased had last been seen alive 3 months prior to the discovery of the corpse. Unfortunately, the body had already been removed from the scene before authorization was received from the magistrate to collect entomological evidence. Nevertheless, evidence was eventually gathered from the site following removal of the corpse and this included organisms of forensic interest. Methodology A medico-legal autopsy was performed by the Forensic Pathol- ogy Service of Bilbao in accordance with international standards (11). 1 Department de Zoología y Biología Celular Animal, Facultad Ciencia y Tecnología, UPV-EHU, Campus de Leioa, Barrio de Sarriena s ⁄ n, E-48940 Bilbao, Spain. 2 Department de Zoología y Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Navarra Apdo. 177, E-31080 Pamplona, Spain. 3 Avda. Príncipe de Asturias 30, µtico 1, E-08012 Barcelona, Spain. 4 Laboratorios LETI, S.L. C ⁄ Sol 5, E-28760 Tres Cantos, Madrid, Spain. 5 IES Baracaldo, Bizkaia, Spain. 6 Calle Balmes, n o 61, ppl. 3 a , E-08007 Barcelona, Spain. 7 Department Zoología y Antropología Física, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, E-28040 Madrid, Spain. 8 Servicio de Patología Forense, Instituto Anatómico Forense, C ⁄ Barroeta Aldamar 10, E-48001 Bilbao, Spain. Received 7 April 2009; and in revised form 5 June 2009; accepted 11 Aug. 2009. J Forensic Sci, 2010 doi: 10.1111/j.1556-4029.2010.01506.x Available online at: interscience.wiley.com 2010 American Academy of Forensic Sciences Published 2010. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the U.S.A. 1