Kleber Makoto Mise

Levantamento da fauna de Coleoptera que habita a carcaça de Sus scrofa L., em Curitiba, Paraná

This paper sought to assess the Coleoptera fauna associated with carcasses of Sus scrofa L., 1758, which is usually used as model in Forensic Entomology. The addition and sequential substitution of insect species could be used to estimate the post mortem interval (PMI). The present study took place in Centro Politecnico (UFPR), between september 2005 to september 2006. A pig weighting 15 kg was sacrificed each season and put inside a cage. Sampling is made daily in a tray placed below the carcass and in a Shannon modified trap, and each 14 days in five pit-fall traps. 4,360 beetles were collected, belonging to 112 species of 26 families, 12 were considered of forensic potential. The active collecting made in the tray was responsible for the largest number of beetles (2,023 specimens), followed by the modified Shannon trap (2,016 specimens) and by the pit-fall traps (324 specimens). Staphylinidae was more abundant in the modified Shannon trap, while Silphidae was more abundant in pit-fall traps. The main habits found are predator/parasite (55%) and omnivorous (38,05%), with only a few species considered necrophagous (1,31%).

Diagnosis and key of the main families and species of South American Coleoptera of forensic importance

The objective of this paper is to provide diagnosis and keys of the families and species, with illustrations of the main groups. A table of all related species recorded from South America is presented, including the substrate in which they were collected and their geographical distribution. The list comprises 221 species included in 15 families, of which 70% of the species are from Brazil. Scarabaeidae is the most diverse family with 121 species, followed by Staphylinidae with 68. Also we provide one database of Coleoptera species associated with carcasses in South America.

Coleoptera associated with pig carcass exposed in a forest reserve, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil

The Coleoptera fauna of forensic importance associated with Sus scrofa Linnaeus, 1758 carcass decomposition in Ducke Reserve, Manaus, Brazil, was determined. A total of 41 species, belonging to six families and 11 subfamilies were collected. Staphylinidae presented the higher richness with 17 species sampled, followed by Histeridae, with 11 and Scarabaeidae with nine species. Euspilotus azureus (Sahlberg, 1823) (Histeridae), Aleochara sp. (Staphylinidae) and Oxelytrum cayennense (Sturm, 1826) (Silphidae) occurred in all stages of decomposition. Omalodes lucidus Erichson, 1824 and Scapomegas auritus Marseul, 1855 (Histeridae) are recorded for the first time in the Amazon, being also reported for the first time associated with a decomposing carcass. The fauna differs from those of other Brazilian regions, emphasizing the importance of studies to determine the regional insect fauna of forensic importance that can be used in criminal investigations.

Aleochara pseudochrysorrhoa, a new species from southern Brazil (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae), with a complete checklist of Neotropical species of the genus

The ectoparasitoid habit of larvae and the active predatory habit of adults of Aleochara Gravenhorst, 1802 established this group as natural fly regulators and important for ecological studies, biological control programs and forensic entomology. In the current study, a new aleocharine species, Aleochara pseudochrysorrhoa sp. nov., from southern Brazil, is described and its natural history is briefly discussed. The species has a robust body, uniformly dark-brown to black with apex of abdomen rust-brown, median lobe of male with expanded bulbus, sclerites of internal sac forming complex arrangement, and female with spermatheca L-shaped. Aleochara pseudochrysorrhoa sp. nov. may be considered to be closely related to the species belonging to the lustrica group. A complete checklist of Neotropical species of Aleochara is also provided. Nomenclatural problems are also discussed. Aleochara lateralis Erichson, 1839 is a junior primary homonym of A. lateralis Heer, 1839, and is replaced by the available name Aleochara bonariensis Lynch, 1884. A new name, Aleochara newtoni nom. nov., is proposed to replace Maseochara (= Aleochara) duplicata Sharp, 1883, which is a junior secondary homonym of A. duplicata Erichson, 1839.

Coleopterofauna found on fresh and frozen rabbit carcasses in Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil

Many arthropod species are associated with carrion and some of them can be used as forensic indicators in murder investigations to estimate the time of death. Different physical conditions of cadavers may influence the fauna and the importance of freezing and thawing is unknown. The present paper sought to survey the Coleoptera species encountered in frozen and fresh rabbit carcasses, at a forest in Curitiba, Brazil. Four rabbit carcasses, two of them fresh and the other frozen were used. The coleopterofauna was sampled daily, and analyzed using non-parametric tests. A total of 666 beetles were sampled, belonging to 28 species in 10 families. Most of the beetles captured were larvae of Oxelytrum spp. (433) which are known to be necrophagous. The two frozen carcasses accounted for most of the beetles (338 and 180) in comparison with the two fresh carcasses (103 and 45). The tests were based on the most abundant species. Oxelytrum spp. median differed significantly between carcasses (H = 12.47844; p = 0.0059). The two fresh carcasses differed significantly (U = 190.0; p = 0.00019), but there was no significant difference between the frozen carcasses (U = 336.0; p = 0.29755). The data indicate that the freezing process prevents certain species to colonize carcasses, in this case with the dominance of species of Oxelytrum. These data also indicate that careful attention is necessary before using frozen carcasses in forensic entomology studies.

Male-Produced Sex Pheromone of the Carrion Beetles, Oxelytrum discicolle and its Attraction to Food Sources

Carrion beetles are part of the great diversity of insects collected on cadavers. In Brazil, beetles of the genus Oxelytrum have great forensic importance in post mortem interval (PMI) estimation. We investigated the system of chemical communication in the attraction of these necrophagous beetles. Gas chromatographic analysis (GC) of female and male aeration extracts revealed the presence of two male-specific compounds, produced in a ratio of 94:6. Bioassays showed that the combination of male produced volatiles and the odor of a food source (carcass volatiles) were attractive to females. Mass and infrared spectral analyses of the male-specific compounds suggested that they were both unsaturated hydrocarbons. Several micro-derivatizations were carried out with the natural products, and the target structures were identified as (Z)-1,8-heptadecadiene (major) and 1-heptadecene (minor). The structure of the minor component was assigned by co-injection with a commercial standard. A seven-step synthesis was developed to synthesize (Z)-1,8-heptadiene, which co-eluted with the major natural product on three different GC stationary phases. Y-tube olfactometer assays showed that the mixture of synthetic standards in the naturally occurring proportion was slightly attractive to females. The results contribute both to the understanding of the chemical ecology of O. discicolle and to its potential to improve the accuracy of PMI estimation.

Troglobitic invertebrates: improving the knowledge on the Brazilian subterranean biodiversity through an interactive multi-entry key

Troglobitic species are those organisms restricted to caves that frequently present unique morphological features related to these environments. In order to study its ecology, evolution and biogeography, it is first required to properly recognize them. However, especially in Brazil, the basic knowledge is still incipient, with few taxonomic studies such as identification keys for this group of organisms. In addition, since the troglobitic species belong to different taxonomic groups, the information to properly recognize them is often sparse and difficult to access. Considering this, an interactive multi entry taxonomic key available online is an interesting approach, as it makes identifications easier. This study aims to construct a multi-access interactive identification key to the troglobitic invertebrates of Brazil, using morphological characters obtained from literature and direct observations of specimens. The key was made in Lucid version 3.3, containing figures of most characters. It comprises seventy-eight species of troglobitic invertebrates that occur in Brazil, forming a matrix of 231 morphological characters and more than 200 images to support identification. The key is freely available online on lucid central (http://keys.lucidcentral.org/keys/v3/troglobitic_invertebrates/troglobitic_invertebrates.html). Since Brazilian laws regarding cave conservation has change in 2008, allowing even the destruction of caves, this multi-access identification key is step to reduce the existing taxonomic impediment and also an important tool for identification of troglobites, especially for non-specialists.

A taxonomic revision of Liogenys occurring in Brazil with an interactive key and remarks on New World Diplotaxini (Coleoptera, Melolonthidae)

Abstract Liogenys Guérin-Méneville, 1831 is the major genus of Neotropical Diplotaxini, with 78 species distributed from Panama to southern Argentina and Chile, except for Ecuador. Due to the large numbers of both described and undescribed species, as well as its agricultural importance, mainly of those in Brazil, Liogenys was redefined and redescribed. Nine new species are described: L. cavifrons Cherman, sp. n., L. femella Cherman, sp. n., L. piauiensis Cherman, sp. n., L. rotundicollis Cherman, sp. n., L. pseudosanctaecrucis Cherman, sp. n., L. grossii Cherman, sp. n., L. pseudospiniventris Cherman, sp. n., L. sulcoventris Cherman, sp. n., and L. freyi Cherman, sp. n. All the new species are Brazilian, except for the last one, which is Argentinian. Twenty-three Brazilian species are redescribed and illustrated. Five new synonyms are proposed, and 19 lectotypes are designated. New geographical distribution records for 19 species are presented, as well as a key to New World Diplotaxini and Brazilian species of Liogenys.