After the Flood: A Multidisciplinary Investigation of Human Remains Found in a Floodplain and First Record of Raft Spiders Colonizing a Corpse

In the analysis of any forensic case, estimation time, cause and manner death is affected by post-mortem changes. These are inextricably linked to both intrinsic characteristics body a variety external factors, mainly environmental, such as presence types scavengers. While there several research case-studies on terrestrial environments, scant knowledge regarding aquatic either stable or cyclical/seasonal. At present, no case studies have considered human remains discovered in mud, following flooding event. This study describes floodplain area northern Italy. After flood event, water progressively drained out, leaving mud. Besides unique conditions remains, particular interest was colonization larvae Calliphora vomitoria (L.) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) raft spiders, Dolomedes fimbriatus (Clerck) (Araneae: Pisauridae), for thefirst-time recorded colonizing corpse. The multidisciplinary approach an investigation described.