HISTOCHEMICAL AND IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL INVESTIGATIONS ON POST- MORTEM INJURIES CAUSED BY ANTS AND LITERATURE REVIEW

M. Pezzi, M. Benecke, V. Vercillo, F. Marino, S. Marino, C. Scapoli, M. G. Marchetti, M. Leis, T. Bonacci

Abstract: Ants are arthropods that may inflict post-mortem skin damages on human corpses, often interfering with forensic investigations. A histochemical and immunohistochemical study was performed on skin samples of a human corpse found in an open suburban area in Southern Italy, showing extensive attack by Tapinoma nigerrimum Nylander, 1856 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). The histological findings were compared to the available literature data about post-mortem skin damages caused by arthropods, also conducting an extensive survey of forensic literature on the subject
Keywords: ants, histological investigation, post-mortem damages, skin, superficial lesions