To accurately model the food webs, we need to acquire precise data on food ecology of the interacting species. This allows better understanding of the trophic interactions and for the necrophagous species this information could be used in medico-legal investigations. For this reason, we recently proposed standardized laboratory methodology to assess the foraging strategies based on parallel testing of 2 food items (meat, dead larvae) (Jakubec et al. 2021). The original methodology had 2 shortcomings. It was not suited for testing living larvae, which could prove predatory behavior of the species. The methodology was also based on parallel experimental design, where the food items are tested together, which could underestimate the maximum consumption of the tested subject for some items. To test if these concerns are valid, we improved original methodology allowing testing living larvae as well as a new sequential experimental setup, where consumption of each item is tested individually in a random order, thus theoretically giving an unbiased maximum consumption estimate. These methodologies were tested head-to-head on 3 forensically relevant species from the genus Thanatophilus (Thanatophilus micans (Fabricius 1794)(Fabricius 1794), Thanatophilus rugosus (Linnaeus, 1758), and Thanatophilus sinuatus(Fabricius, 1775)). The experiments have confirmed that all 3 species are almost strictly necrophagous, although they were capable of predation, despite the presence of preferred food (meat). The comparison also showed that the sequential design has indeed improved capability to quantify the maximal consumption of the given food item. Thus, we suggest following this methodology in future studies.
The forensically important genus Thanatophilus Leach, 1815 (Coleoptera: Silphidae) is a widespread group of carrion beetles that occupies the Holarctic and Afrotropical realms. It has recently received more recognition, as its species are frequently detected on large carrion, including humans, and can be useful in estimating the time of colonization (TOC) and the post-mortem interval (PMI). The immature stages of Thanatophilus sinuatus (Fabricius, 1775) were reared on three different meat diets (pork liver, pork muscle, and chicken muscle). Diet influence on some of the essential life history traits of the species was examined for different populations. Our findings indicated an accelerated development on pork muscle followed closely by pork liver and a prolonged development on chicken muscle. The diet significantly affected the size, and the body condition (weight/ size) as both pork muscle and liver produced individuals in better physical condition (larger and heavier). The impact of two cyclic photoperiod regimes (16 h Light (L): 8 h Dark (D) and 12 h L: 12 h D) was further evaluated and indicated no significant variability.
- MeSH
- brouci * MeSH
- dieta MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- rozmnožování MeSH
- stravovací zvyklosti MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
We assessed the influence of diet on the development and survival in the immature stages of the necrophagous beetle Oiceoptoma thoracicum (Linnaeus, 1758). The species is frequently observed on large cadavers, including humans, and thus can be of potential forensic relevance. We compared multiple meat tissues from three animal sources, and detected the optimal diet for rearing the species for further entomological and forensic objectives. We reared 203 individuals to adulthood at the constant temperature of 20°C. Our results represent the first robust data set of the development time for this species. They further confirmed a significant relationship between survival and the type of diet, as the highest survival rates were detected in larvae fed with both pork liver and pork muscle.
Necrophagous blowflies (Diptera: Calliphoridae) are of great importance particularly during investigations of suspicious deaths. Many studies have analyzed the distribution of blowflies based on pig experiments and baited trapping; however, data from real case scenarios are rarely used. In this article, the distribution of blowflies found during investigations of 160 real cases during 1993-2007 in Switzerland is evaluated based on habitat, altitude, and season. Ten species of blowflies were present in 145 out of the 160 cases. The most common species was Calliphora vicina, which occurs throughout the year and was present in 69 % of all cases. Lucilia sericata, Calliphora vomitoria, and L. caesar were identified among the rest of the flies as species of great forensic importance mainly due to their distributional patterns. After a comparison with a similar dataset from Frankfurt, Germany, some surprising differences were determined and discussed. The biggest discrepancies between our dataset and the German dataset were in the occurrences of L. sericata (30 % vs. 86 %, respectively), Phormia regina (5 % vs. 43 %), and L. ampullacea (1 % vs. 45 %). The life-history strategies and intraspecific behavioral variability of blowflies remain understudied, although they can be essential for an unbiased approach during a death investigation. Further research and comparison of occurrence patterns across the area of distribution of blowflies are therefore needed and recommended.
This study examined the effects of various diets on the development time and survival of the carrion beetle Thanatophilus rugosus (Fabricius, 1775). We attempted to find the best diet for rearing the species in laboratory conditions for entomological research and forensic purposes, and to further understand its feeding habits. The larval stages were monitored while feeding on three types of meat under a constant temperature. We discovered that the shortest development time in total was achieved in larvae fed with pork liver, followed closely by pork muscle. The longest development and lowest survival rates were observed when introducing a chicken diet. We were also able to identify specific stages during which the diet significantly affected the development.
- MeSH
- brouci růst a vývoj MeSH
- dieta MeSH
- entomologie MeSH
- forenzní entomologie MeSH
- larva růst a vývoj MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
Larval morphology of all three instars of Nicrophorus (Nicrophorus) nepalensis Hope, 1831 (Coleoptera: Silphidae: Nicrophorinae) is described and illustrated, based on reared larvae. The eastern Palaearctic and Oriental N. (N.) nepalensis is similar to the western Palaearctic N. (N.) humator (Gleditsch, 1767) in a number of larval characters. This is congruent with recent classification of the genus Nicrophorus Fabricius, 1775 by Sikes, who suggested a close phylogenetic affinity of the N. nepalensis species group (with 16 species) with the N. humator species group (2 species). The generic description of larvae of Nicrophorus Fabricius, 1775 is expanded, based on detailed SEM observation.
Subgeneric classification of Chrysodema Laporte de Castelnau Gory, 1835 is revised and following synonymy is established: Chrysodema=Cyalithoides Fisher, 1922 syn. nov.; Pseudochrysodema Saunders, 1874=Leganya Hołyński, 1994 syn. nov.,=Marcsikiella Hołyński, 2014 syn. nov. Four subgenera are recognized as valid: Chrysodema s. str., Gelaeus Waterhouse, 1905, Pseudochrysodema Saunders, 1874, and Thymedes Waterhouse, 1905, and a key to the subgenera is given. Four species-groups are established in the subgenus Chrysodema s. str.: C. aeneoviolacea-group, C. aurostriata-group, C. eximia-group, and C. sonnerati-group. All known species, except the currently accepted synonyms of Chrysodema (Chrysodema) eximia Laporte de Castelnau Gory, 1835, included in these groups are revised based on comparative study of extensive material including types of all described taxa. Three new species and one subspecies are described: Chrysodema (Chrysodema) dany sp. nov. from Haruku Island, Indonesia; C. (C.) gottwaldi sp. nov. from Palawan Island, Philippines; C. (C.) lewisii nakatai subsp. nov. from Yaeyama Islands, Japan; and C. (C.) vrabeci sp. nov. from Thailand and Laos. Chrysodema (C.) aeneoviolacea Deyrolle, 1864 stat. rev., C. (C.) dohrnii Saunders, 1874 stat. rev., and C. (C.) fuscitarsis Kerremans, 1895 stat. rev. are removed from synonymy with C. (C.) mniszechii Deyrolle, 1864; C. (C.) tonkinea Kerremans, 1909 stat. rev. is removed from synonymy with C. (C.) aurostriata Saunders, 1866. Three new synonymies are established: C. (C.) aeneoviolacea=C. (C.) elongata Kerremans, 1900 syn. nov.=C. (C.) keyensis Théry, 1923 syn. nov. (the latter was formerly synonym of C. (C.) elongata); C. (C.) dohrnii=C. (C.) fairmairei Kerremans, 1895 syn. nov. (formerly synonym of C. (C.) mniszechii). Neotype is designated for C. (C.) sonnerati Laporte de Castelnau Gory, 1835 and lectotypes are designated for following taxa to ensure their correct application and recognition in future: C. (C.) aurostriata, C. (C.) fairmairei, C. (C.) fuscitarsis, C. (C.) sumatrensis Kerremans, 1895, C. (C.) tonkinea, C. (C.) yerburyi Waterhouse, 1905, C. (P.) coelestina Obenberger, 1922, and C. (P.) inslabilis Deyrolle, 1864. Additionally, dark species of the subgenus Pseudochrysodema are revised and as a result C. (P.) coelestina stat. rev. and C. (P.) instabilis stat. rev. are removed from synonymy with C. (P.) radians (Guérin-Méneville, 1830) and a new species C. (Pseudochrysodema) jakli sp. nov. is described from Timor Island, Indonesia. All herein included taxa are illustrated with colour photographs of habitus and the male aedeagus when available. All new taxa are diagnosed and a key to species of the C. aeneoviolacea-group is given.
- MeSH
- brouci * MeSH
- rozšíření zvířat MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- mužské pohlaví MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
