title: Diversity of forensic rove beetles (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae) associated with decaying pig carcass in a forest biotope.
abstract: Most forensic studies are focused on Diptera pattern colonization while neglecting Coleoptera succession. So far, little information is available on the postmortem colonization by beetles and the decomposition process they initiate under temperate biogeoclimatic countries. These beetles have, however, been referred to as being part of the entomofaunal colonization of a dead body. Forensic entomologists need increased databases detailing the distribution, ecology, and phenology of necrophagous insects, including staphylinids (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae). While pig carcasses are commonly used in forensic entomology studies to surrogate human decomposition and to investigate the entomofaunal succession, very few works have been conducted in Europe on large carcasses. Our work reports the monitoring of the presence of adult rove beetles (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae) on decaying pig carcasses in a forest biotope during four seasons (spring, summer, fall, and winter). A total of 23 genera comprising 60 species of rove beetles were collected from pig carcasses.
authors.affiliation: Department of functional and evolutionary Entomology, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liege, Passage des Déportés 2, Gembloux, B-5030, Belgium. entomologie.gembloux@ulg.ac.be
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dekeirsschieter
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Frederick
authors.forename: Francois J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Verheggen
authors.forename: Didier
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Drugmand
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Haubruge
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D044822:Biodiversity; D001517:Coleoptera; D004772:Entomology; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D049429:Forensic Pathology; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D012621:Seasons; D013552:Swine; D014197:Trees
keywords: Beetle; Coleoptera; Staphylinidae; carrion ecology; forensic entomology; forensic science; temperate area