Azeezat Oyindamola Alafia

Degrees

Current Research Activities

Biological Systems and Organisms

My current research focuses on Succession pattern, diversity and development of insects of forensic importance on Sus scrofa (pig) carrion in Lagos and Kaduna States, Nigeria. The study seeks to provide empirical data on carrion insects’ successional studies and species composition in different biogeoclimatic regions of Nigeria. The study is designed to determine the rate of decomposition of pig carrions, the insect agents involved in its decomposition during dry and wet seasons in two biogeoclimatic zones of Nigeria. The study aims at establishing the succession pattern and rate of development of these insects during the stages of decomposition of the pig carrions. In other to achieve this, field trials are being conducted in Ojo, Lagos (which represents a rainforest region) and Samaru, Kaduna (which represents a Savannah region) States of Nigeria. Pigs weighing an average of 23kg were sacrificed and placed aboveground to profile the diversity, abundance and Succession pattern of the insects visiting the carrions during decomposition. Laboratory rearing of some of these insects are also being conducted to determine their rate of development and morphological features of the insects developmental stages such as cephalopharyngeal skeleton and posterior spiracles of their developmental stages. It is believed that this study will provide primary data on the forensically important insects in the two regions. It will also provide basic information on the duration of larval development and cephalopharyngeal characteristics of three major necrophagous insects found on pig carrions which will be useful in determination of the degree of the insect’s development on the corpse. The studies on cephalopharyngeal characteristics would further strengthen the ability to identify third instar larvae of three major flies associated with pig carrions in Nigeria. This information shall be a veritable tool for insect taxonomy and systematics and in addition provide basic information for estimation of postmortem interval in Lagos and Kaduna States of Nigeria. The study is based on a specialized aspect of entomology known as Forensic entomology which involves the use of insects in resolution of legal cases such as homicides, rape and Murder. Since insects are usually the first to get to any decomposing body, their sequence of colonization which is usually predictable can be studied from controlled experiment and used in estimating the time since death also known as postmortem interval (PMI). The duration of an insects stay on a dead body in relation to a particular stage of decay gives the best estimate of the probable length of time the person has been dead, starting at the point when fly first lay its eggs on the body and ending with the discovery of the body in which the oldest colonizing species of the life stages is recognized. In general, insect succession that occurs during decomposition is related to the season, temperature, humidity and type of habitat. This is however dependent on the geographic location and the season, hence the need for the study in two different biogeoclimatic regions.

Current profession

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