On carrion-associated beetles in the Sonian Forest (Belgium): observations on five deer carcasses

Abstract

Carrion is an important element of temperate ecosystems, although far less studied than dead and decaying wood. In order to avoid competition, insects need to detect and colonize ephemeral resources like carrion quickly. The knowledge of this colonization is an important tool in forensic entomology. Hence, species identification is a most crucial factor. Among insects, most studies have concentrated on flies (Diptera), whereas beetles (Coleoptera) were neglected for a long time. Beetles, however, have forensic applications – they are part of the entomofaunal colonization of a carcass – and therefore recently more extensive research on forensic application of beetle data has been done. Beetle families with significance to forensic entomology are Silphidae, Staphylinidae, Histeridae, Trogidae, Dermestidae, Cleridae, Nitidulidae and Carabidae. This study documents the presence of beetles associated with decaying carcasses of deer in the Sonian Forest, Belgium. A total of 271 specimens of Coleoptera belonging to twenty-five species in six families was recorded. The number of species and specimens increased from the fresh stage to the bloated stage and active decay, to drop back down at the dry/remains stage. A discussion is given about some interesting collected species and families.