Figure 2.

Decomposition of carcass 1domestic. Top to bottom, left to right; numbers in brackets represent the days post-mortem. Fresh. Day 2: Slight lividity, cooling of the body (algor mortis), clouding of the cornea. Early decomposition. Days 11, 15: The abdomen is open, gases have been released; carcass has reached the post-bloating stage; darkening of the skin, extensive skin slippage; purging of decompositional fluids from natural openings. Day 19: Head is in the advanced stage of decomposition. Advanced decomposition. Days 22, 26: Moist decomposition. Day 29: Decrease in biomass. The abdominal cavity collapses, leaving a flattened body; liquefied tissues continue purging into the surrounding. Day 33: Head already skeletonized (desiccated leathery skin, dry skull underneath). Day 40: Carcass has lost most of its soft tissues. Days 47–174: Moist decomposition. Skeletonization. Day 193: Most tissues other than bones have disappeared; bone exposure with greasy substance and decomposition tissues. Day 323: Carcass is covered by a layer of sand; underneath, dry bones and desiccated skin are left.