Trox

Abstract: Insects are the most important components of the terrestrial fauna associated with carrion because they recycle organic matter back into the ecosystem. They can be classified into four ecological categories comprising: necrophages; parasites and predators of necrophagous species; omnivores, and incidentals. To determine the composition and temporal succession of necrophagous and predator beetles on pig carrion, four experiments, one in each season, were carried out during 2004 in a rural area of Cordoba, central Argentina. Two pigs (Sus scrofa L.), weighing approximately 8 kg each, were used in each of the four experiments. The animals were killed by a sharp blow to the head and immediately placed in an appropriate trap. One pig was placed in the shade and the other in direct sunlight. Beetle fauna were collected daily during the first 4 weeks and thereafter every 2 or 3 days. Five stages of decomposition were observed and a total of 1586 adults and 4309 immatures of Coleoptera belonging to the Staphylinidae, Nitidulidae, Cleridae, Dermestidae, Histeridae, Anthicidae and Trogidae families were collected during the four experiments. The necrophagous community was represented by Dermestes maculates (De Geer), nitidulid species and members of the Trox genus. Staphylinidae, Cleridae and Histeridae species were considered to be the main predators of the necrophagous species.

Abstract: The South American Trogidae are revised. Three genera, Trox Fabricius, Omorgus Erichson (with two subgenera, Omorgus and Haroldomorgus Scholtz), and Polynoncus Burmeister, and 47 species are recorded from the continent and its islands. Trox is represented by the ubiquitous introduced species T. scaber (L.), Omorgus is represented by 13 species and Polynoncus by 33 species. Five new species are described and all others are re-described. A key to all taxa is provided. Adults of all species and their male genitalia are illustrated and their distributions mapped. Observations are presented on phylogeny, zoogeography and biology. The new species are O. capillaceus, O. indigenus, O. nocheles, P. erugatus and P. gibberosus. Four new synonymies are proposed (synonyms listed first): O. triestinae Pittino = P. suberosus (Fabricius); P. furcifer Pittino = P. bifurcatus (Vaurie); P. parafurcatus occidentalis Pittino and P. furcillifer Pittino = P. parafurcatus Pittino. Omorgus badeni (Harold) is reinstated as a valid...

Abstract: A preliminary study on insects associated with pig carcasses was conducted in Phitsanulok, northern Thailand Five decomposition stages of pig carcasses were categorized: fresh (0-1 day after death), bloated (2 days after death), active (3 days after death), advanced (4- 6 days after death) and dry (7-30 days after death) The arthropod species collected from the corpses in the field sites were mainly classified belonging to two orders and nine families, namely order Diptera (family Calliphoridae: Chrysomya rufifacies and Chrysomya megacephala, family Muscidae: Musca domestica, family Faniidae: Fannia canicularis, family Sarcophagidae: Parasarcophaga ruficornis and family Piophilidae: Piophila casei,) and order Coleoptera (family Dermestidae: Dermestes maculatus, family Histeridae: Hister sp, family Cleridae: Necrobia rufipes and family Trogidae: Trox sp) The forensically dominant fly was C rufifacies, while the beetle was D maculatus The beetles associated with pig carcasses found in this study are first reported in Phitsanulok, Thailand In addition, ants, bees, spiders and millipedes were also associated with the carcasses These findings may provide data for further use in legal investigations in Thailand