Insect succession associated with corpse's decomposition of the guinea pig Cavia porcellus in Benha city, Egypt
Egypt. Acad. J. Biolog. Sci. E. Medical Entom. & Parasitology • 2013
Publication Information
Authors
Abdelwahab A. Ibrahim; Fatma H. Galal; AlaaEddeen M. Seufi; and Ahmed A. Elhefnawy
Keywords
Forensic entomology; Insect succession; Corpse; Postmortem interval; Decomposition; Egypt.
Journal
Egypt. Acad. J. Biolog. Sci. E. Medical Entom. & Parasitology
Publisher
Not Available
Volume
5
Issue
1
Pages
1-20
publication.type
Local
Paper Link
Open Link
Supplementary Materials
Not Available
Abstract
Eleven domestic guinea pig corpses were employed as models for studying decomposition and insect succession in Benha city, Egypt, from April 2009 to March 2010. Ambient temperature, faunistic succession over time, and the rate of decay in different seasons were all compared. Results indicated that ambient temperature is the chief factor determining the seasonal variations in decay rate. The diversity of insect community increased as the state of decomposition advances. Members of Dermistidae and Forrmicidae were the first coleopteran and hymenopteran colonizers in all seasons. Sarcophaga, Wholfortia and Chrysomya was observed in spring and summer. Meanwhile, species of Wholfortia were absent in winter and Crysomya species were absent in fall. Patterns of insect succession occurred in a predictable sequence that varied across different seasons. The rate of corpse's decomposition was faster in summer and autumn as compared to spring and winter
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