title: Effect of body mass and clothing on carrion entomofauna.
abstract: Carcass mass largely affects pattern and rate of carrion decomposition. Supposedly, it is similarly important for carrion entomofauna; however, most of its likely effects have not been tested experimentally. Here, simultaneous effects of carcass mass and clothing are analyzed. A factorial block experiment with four levels of carcass mass (small carcasses 5-15 kg, medium carcasses 15.1-30 kg, medium/large carcasses 35-50 kg, large carcasses 55-70 kg) and two levels of carcass clothing (clothed and unclothed) was made in a grassland habitat of Western Poland. Pig carcasses (N = 24) were grouped into spring, early summer, and late summer blocks. Insects were sampled manually and with pitfall traps. Results demonstrate that insect assemblages are more complex, abundant, and long-lasting on larger carcasses, whereas clothing is of minor importance in this respect. Only large or medium/large carcasses were colonized by all guilds of carrion insects, while small or medium carcasses revealed high underrepresentation of late-colonizing insects (e.g., Cleridae or Nitidulidae). This finding indicates that carcasses weighing about 23 kg-a standard in forensic decomposition studies-give an incomplete picture of carrion entomofauna. Residencies of all forensically relevant insects were distinctly prolonged on larger carcasses, indicating that cadaver mass is a factor of great importance in this respect. The pre-appearance interval of most taxa was found to be unrelated to mass or clothing of a carcass. Moreover, current results suggest that rate of larval development is higher on smaller carcasses. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that carcass mass is a factor of crucial importance for carrion entomofauna, whereas the importance of clothing is small.
authors: Laboratory of Criminalistics, Adam Mickiewicz University, Św. Marcin 90, 61-809, Poznań, Poland. szymmat@amu.edu.pl.
authors: Szymon
authors: S
authors: Matuszewski
authors: Laboratory of Criminalistics, Adam Mickiewicz University, Św. Marcin 90, 61-809, Poznań, Poland.|Department of Animal Taxonomy and Ecology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Umultowska 89, 61-614, Poznań, Poland.
authors: Katarzyna
authors: K
authors: Frątczak
authors: Natural History Collections, Adam Mickiewicz University, Umultowska 89, 61-614, Poznań, Poland.
authors: Szymon
authors: S
authors: Konwerski
authors: Department of Animal Taxonomy and Ecology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Umultowska 89, 61-614, Poznań, Poland.
authors: Daria
authors: D
authors: Bajerlein
authors: Chair of Ecology and Biogeography, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Lwowska 1, 87-100, Toruń, Poland.
authors: Krzysztof
authors: K
authors: Szpila
authors: Department of Animal Taxonomy and Ecology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Umultowska 89, 61-614, Poznań, Poland.
authors: Mateusz
authors: M
authors: Jarmusz
authors: Laboratory of Criminalistics, Adam Mickiewicz University, Św. Marcin 90, 61-809, Poznań, Poland.
authors: Michał
authors: M
authors: Szafałowicz
authors: Chair of Ecology and Biogeography, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Lwowska 1, 87-100, Toruń, Poland.
authors: Andrzej
authors: A
authors: Grzywacz
authors: Laboratory of Criminalistics, Adam Mickiewicz University, Św. Marcin 90, 61-809, Poznań, Poland.|Natural History Collections, Adam Mickiewicz University, Umultowska 89, 61-614, Poznań, Poland.
authors: Anna
authors: A
authors: Mądra
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D003020:Clothing; D004772:Entomology; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D049429:Forensic Pathology; D007313:Insecta; D023421:Models, Animal; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D013552:Swine
keywords: Carrion insects; Coleoptera; Diptera; Forensic entomology; Forensic science; Postmortem interval