Association
Definition
A supported relationship between an observation or item and the material, source or event under examination. The observed location of a specimen is one part of its history. Transfer, movement, pre-existing infestation or later handling can affect its relationship to the material being examined.
- Context
- Specimen interpretation
For example, an insect found inside a transport bag needs an assessed relationship to the body, rather than an automatic assumption of scene origin.
Identification establishes what was examined, while association concerns how it relates to the event. A clean laboratory result does not resolve an unsupported scene association.
Related terms
- Cleridae
- A beetle family including Necrobia species with carrion and stored-product associations. Feeding and predatory roles depend on the species and conditions. A...
- Dermestidae
- A beetle family including species associated with animal material and stored products; presence is not a universal late-stage clock. Some exploit dry...
- Elytra
- Modified forewings of beetles, covering differing amounts of the body across taxa. Their extent and other characters can assist identification alongside the...
- Hypopus
- A specialised heteromorphic deutonymphal form in certain astigmatan mites. Its structure and role should be interpreted using suitable mite expertise. The term...
- Phoresy
- Transport of one organism by another, distinct from assuming parasitism. In mite associations, the carrier and relevant life stage should be identified....
- Silphidae
- A historically recognised carrion-beetle family treated within Staphylinidae as Silphinae in some modern classifications. Explain the taxonomic convention used by the key...
- Skeletonisation Stage
- A descriptive condition of substantial skeletal exposure that does not have a universal elapsed-time value. A stage label summarises observed condition under...
- Staphylinidae
- The rove-beetle family, with diverse feeding roles and taxonomic treatments that may include Silphinae. Carrion beetles historically recognised as Silphidae are treated...
- Urogomphi
- Paired terminal or near-terminal processes used among other larval identification characters. Urogomphi are paired processes near the posterior end of certain beetle...
Explained in
- Beetles and Other Insects of Forensic ImportanceThe supported relationship of an organism or its traces to the material or event being examined.