Occurrence of Hymenoptera on pig carcasses in a tropical rainforest in Central Amazonia, Brazil

Authors

  • Alexandre Somavilla Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia - INPA Coordenação de Biodiversidade Av. André Araújo, 2936 - Aleixo CEP 69011-970, Caixa-Postal 2223 Manaus - AM - Brasil
  • Jorge Luiz de Pereira Souza Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciência e Tecnologia para Recursos Amazônicos, Instituto de Ciências Exatas e Tecnologia (ICET), CEP 69103˗128, Itacoatiara, AM, Brasil.
  • Aldenira Oliveira da Silva Instituto de Proteção Ambiental do Amazonas, IPAAM. Av. Mario Ipyranga Monteiro 3280, Parque 10 de Novembro, CEP 69.050-030, Manaus, AM, Brasil.
  • Ruth Leila Ferreira Keppler Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, INPA. Coordenação de Biodiversidade. Av. André Araújo, 2936, Petrópolis, CEP 69.067-375, Manaus, AM, Brasil.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.13102/sociobiology.v66i2.4311

Keywords:

Apidae, forensic entomology, Formicidae, necrophagy, Vespidae

Abstract

Hymenotpera species may act as necrophagous, consuming decomposing tissues, as predators, when they feed on other immature and adult insects, and parasites of larvae and pupae of dipterans and coleopterans that colonize the carcasses. In this way, the fauna of four Hymenoptera families (Vespidae, Apidae, Icheneumonidae and Formicidae) associated to different decomposition stages of Sus scrofa carcass partially submerged in igarapé of the “terra-firme” Amazonian forest are presented. Formicidae were the most abundant insects with 957 individuals collected all directly in the carcass, followed by Vespidae (143), Apidae (88) and Ichneumonidae with nine individuals collected in the suspended trap. Due to the aspect of the injuries caused by some Hymenoptera to the carcass, they may be mistaken as skin ulcers, burns or abrasions, which may mislead a forensic investigation.

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Published

2019-08-20

How to Cite

Somavilla, A., Souza, J. L. de P., da Silva, A. O., & Keppler, R. L. F. (2019). Occurrence of Hymenoptera on pig carcasses in a tropical rainforest in Central Amazonia, Brazil. Sociobiology, 66(2), 389–393. https://doi.org/10.13102/sociobiology.v66i2.4311

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