title: First forensic records of termite activity on non-fossilized human bones in Brazil.
abstract: The aim of this study was to describe the first records of termite activity on non-fossilized human bones in Brazil. The cases reported in this study resulted from forensic analysis of six human skeletons found in northeastern Brazil between 2012 and 2014. Traces of tunnels and nests commonly produced by termites were found on several human bone surfaces as well as the specimens and characteristic signs of osteophagic activity. In four cases, the species were identified: Amitermes amifer Silvestri, 1901, Nasutitermes corniger (Motschulsky, 1855) (on two skeletons), and Microcerotermes indistinctus Mathews, 1977. In two other cases, the activity of termites on bone surfaces was evidenced by remains of nests and tunnels produced by these insects. At least in the samples of human remains available for this report, the number of termites collected was greater on bones found during autumn, the rainy season in the Northeast of Brazil. The human bones examined showed termites like insects with lots of strength at bone degradation, capable of continuing the process of decomposition of human remains even in completely skeletonized bodies.
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Medicina e Odontologia Legal - NUMOL, R. Antônio Teotônio, s/n, CEP 58071-620, João Pessoa, PB, Brazil.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Queiroz
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Medicina e Odontologia Legal - NUMOL, R. Antônio Teotônio, s/n, CEP 58071-620, João Pessoa, PB, Brazil.|Universidade de Pernambuco - UPE, Av. Gal Newton Cavalcanti, 1650, CEP 54753-220, Camaragibe, PE, Brazil.
authors.forename: E P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Soriano
authors.affiliation: Universidade de Pernambuco - UPE, Av. Gal Newton Cavalcanti, 1650, CEP 54753-220, Camaragibe, PE, Brazil.|Instituto de Medicina Legal Antônio Persivo Cunha - IMLAPC, Recife, PE, Brazil.
authors.forename: M V D
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.affiliation: Universidade de Pernambuco - UPE, Av. Gal Newton Cavalcanti, 1650, CEP 54753-220, Camaragibe, PE, Brazil.
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Caldas-Junior
authors.affiliation: Universidade de Pernambuco - UPE, Av. Gal Newton Cavalcanti, 1650, CEP 54753-220, Camaragibe, PE, Brazil.
authors.forename: E H A
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.affiliation: Universidade de Pernambuco - UPE, Av. Gal Newton Cavalcanti, 1650, CEP 54753-220, Camaragibe, PE, Brazil.
authors.forename: L G T M
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Coelho-Junior
authors.affiliation: Universidade de Pernambuco - UPE, Av. Gal Newton Cavalcanti, 1650, CEP 54753-220, Camaragibe, PE, Brazil.
authors.forename: R I C
authors.initials: RI
authors.lastname: Campello
authors.affiliation: Universidade de Pernambuco - UPE, Av. Gal Newton Cavalcanti, 1650, CEP 54753-220, Camaragibe, PE, Brazil.
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal da Paraíba - UFPB, Cidade Universitária, CEP 58051-900, João Pessoa, PB, Brazil.
authors.forename: R C A P
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Farias
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal da Paraíba - UFPB, Cidade Universitária, CEP 58051-900, João Pessoa, PB, Brazil.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vasconcellos
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001842:Bone and Bones; D001938:Brazil; D006801:Humans; D020049:Isoptera; D011180:Postmortem Changes