Internal-Cavity Finding
Definition
An observation of material inside a cavity, not by itself a diagnosis of injury or entry route. Record which cavity contained material, when it was seen and what handling preceded observation.
- Context
- Specimen location
For example, larvae recovered from an internal space need contextual assessment before anyone proposes a penetrating injury or a particular route of entry.
Natural openings and postmortem movement may be relevant.
Internal recovery does not by itself prove a penetrating wound or ante-mortem injury. Position and developmental age answer different questions.
Related terms
- Autopsy Reference Time
- The defined time at which specimen condition is observed during autopsy. These events may follow scene recovery and transport by different intervals....
- Bag-Interior Collection
- Material recovered from the transport bag and recorded separately from body locations. Movement and development can occur between recovery and examination. A...
- Body Bag
- A recovery or transport container that can contain associated, transferred or later-developed insect material. Record material from bag seams and interior surfaces...
- External Examination
- Examination of the exterior of the body, coordinated with collection and other investigative needs. External examination can document surfaces, clothing, injuries and...
- Instar
- A stage between moults, interpreted using appropriate taxonomic evidence. Typical blow flies have three larval instars, but that count is not a...
- Internal Cavity Insects
- Insects recovered internally, whose presence does not alone prove a pre-existing penetrating injury. Record which cavity contained material, when it was seen...
- Location Association
- The supported relationship between a specimen and the site at which it was observed. The observed location of a specimen is one...
- Maggot Mass Documentation
- A record of larval locations, observations and measurements with times and methods. Heat can vary as the aggregation forms, feeds and disperses....
- Post-Collection Development
- Development of collected insects after field recovery and before a stated later observation or preservation event. Insects may continue developing during transport,...
- Puparium
- The hardened final larval cuticle surrounding subsequent development in relevant flies, not identical to the pupa. The pupa develops within that enclosure;...