Instar Determination
Definition
Assigning a collected larva to first, second, or third instar based on body length, spiracle morphology, and mouthhook features. Instar determines which portion of the species development table to use in the PMI calculation.
Related terms
- Chain of Custody
- The documented chronological record of who collected, handled, transferred, and examined a piece of evidence. For digital evidence, chain of custody includes...
- Ethanol Fixation
- Preservation of killed insect specimens in 70-80% ethanol. The alcohol denatures proteins and prevents decay, maintaining morphological structure for months to years.
- Hot-Water Killing
- The method of killing insect larvae by immersion in water at approximately 75-85 degrees C for 30-60 seconds before fixing in ethanol....
- Scene-to-Laboratory Transfer Record
- The portion of the chain of custody covering the movement of samples from the scene or mortuary to the receiving laboratory, including...
- Voucher Specimen
- A preserved specimen formally deposited in a collection or retained in the case file as a permanent reference. In forensic entomology, the...
Explained in
- Preservation, Labelling and Chain of CustodyAssigning a collected larva to first, second, or third instar based on body length, spiracle morphology, and mouthhook features. Instar determines which portio...