See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/337562485 A PRELIMINARY LARVAL IDENTIFICATION KEY TO EUROPEAN COLEOPTERA OF FORENSIC IMPORTANCE Poster · April 2013 CITATIONS READS 0 1,983 4 authors: Luisa M Díaz-Aranda Daniel Martín-Vega University of Alcalá University of Alcalá 38 PUBLICATIONS 531 CITATIONS 81 PUBLICATIONS 996 CITATIONS SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE Blanca Cifrián Arturo Baz University of Alcalá University of Alcalá 30 PUBLICATIONS 435 CITATIONS 116 PUBLICATIONS 1,441 CITATIONS SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects: INSECTS Special Issue: From Laboratory Studies to Court Evidence: Challenges in Forensic Entomology View project Micro-CT study of blow fly intra-puparial development: Understanding metamorphosis and improving minimum post-mortem interval estimations View project All content following this page was uploaded by Arturo Baz on 27 November 2019. The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file. A PRELIMINARY LARVAL IDENTIFICATION KEY TO EUROPEAN COLEOPTERA OF FORENSIC IMPORTANCE iuicp Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Ciencias Policiales Luisa M. Díaz-Aranda, Daniel Martín-Vega, Blanca Cifrián & Arturo Baz Departamento de Ciencias de la Vida e Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Ciencias Policiales, Universidad de Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares (Madrid), Spain [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] Introduction Material and Methods In spite of the recognized utility of beetles in forensic investigations (Midgley et al. 2010), the order Coleoptera has been typically Diagnostic characters allowing for the identification of L-3 species are based on both laboratory-reared specimen descriptions and revision neglected in forensic entomology research. Both Coleoptera adults and larvae are associated with carcasses, but regrettably the of published. Reared specimens were obtained from laboratory colonies founded with adults captured in several geographic areas, using lack of specific larval identification keys to those species which are more frequently found on carrion may impede a complete carrion-baited traps or on carcasses in vulture-restaurants. The current key only shows preliminary work and must be used with caution. analysis of the entomological evidence in many studies and investigations. The current poster presents a preliminary larval identification key to the necrophagous species of Coleoptera which are potentially useful as forensic indicators. The selection of species included in the key is based on the inventories from published carrion succession experiments carried out in Europe. Larva hardly sclerotized Larva lightly sclerotized. Larva scarabaeiform (C- or J-shaped) Abdominal terguites with transverse folds Body with long dense setae. Urogomphi fused to 9th abdominal terguite, frequently hook-like Larva not scarabaeiform Body with short setae, scarce setae or without setae. Urogomphi articulated, frequently long DERMESTIDAE TROGIDAE Dermestes sp Body flattened, terguites with lateral extension (larva onisciform) Body subcilindrical, terguites without lateral extension Martín Piera & López Colón (2000) Abdominal segments VIII or IX with urogomphi (paired process articulated, unarticulated or hook-like). Usually with tergites only in thorax and IX or X abdominal segments Trox (Trox) perlatus see European larval key in: Scholtz & Lumaret (1991) Abdominal segments VIII or IX without paired processes or reduced to tubercles. Tergites small in each abdominal segments. Head with I ocellus on each side STAPHILINIDAE Creophillus maxilosus (Linnaeus, 1758 See European larval key in: Ruzicka, J. (1992) Urogomphi longer than 10th abdominal segment by at least one-half their length. Abdominal sternite II divided into 3 large sclerites SILPHIDAE (Nicrophorus sp) body creamy with mottled violet-grey markings. Abdominal tergite IX hardly sclerotised with hook-like urogomphi SILPHIDAE (Silphinae) Urogomphi equal to or only slightly longer than abdominal segment X. Abdominal sternite II with 1 large sclerite Body creamy-white coloured CLERIDAE (Necrobia sp) 2 or 4 Urogomphi, fused to 9th abdominal terguite. 2 Urogomphi bi-segmented and articulated. Legs extremely short, shorter than mouthparts Basal segment of urogomphus approximately 2-2,5 times longer than the distal segment. Dorsal color entirely black or dark brown Basal segment of urogomphus approximately 4 times longer than the distal segment. Dorsal color brown with a light mediodorsal longitudinal line a<b a~b NITIDULIDAE Thanatophilus sp HISTERIDAE Necrobia rufipes Necrodes littoralis (Linnaeus, 1758) Necrobia violacea Pronotum margin not protruding anterolaterally We need more N. violacea larvae to confirm this character IX Necrobia ruficollis ? Sharp-pointed urogomphi present, pregomphi usually present Urogomphi and pregomphi virtually absent, reduced to paired tubercles Meligethes sp. Pronotum margin protruding anterolaterally IX Th. sinuatus (Fabricius, 1775) Thanatophilus dispar ? Anal hooks present in segment X IX Oiceoptoma thoracicum (Linnaeus, 1758) Anal hooks absent X Thanatophilus rugosus (Linnaeus, 1758) Epuraea sp. Urogomphi with a distinct setose tubercle at the base of their outer side. Ninth abdominal segment covered with a dorsal sclerite. Urogomphi simple, without a tubercle at the base of their outer side. Ninth abdominal sclerite usually without a dorsal sclerite. Thanatophilus ruficornis (Küster, 1851) Silpha obscura Linnaeus, 1758 Silpha tristis Illiger, 1798 Head without frontal tubercles Urogomphi with apices curved caudally and downwards Head with frontal tubercles Urogomphi nearly straight Carpophilus sp. Abdominal terga each with tubercles Mesothoracic to 8th abdominal terga with sclerites. Soronia sp Abdominal terga, except the 9th, without tubercles Mesothoracic to 8th abdominal terga without sclerites Pocadius sp D. lardarius Linnaeus, 1758 Urogomphi about half as long as ninth abdominal segment and strongly curved upwards only in apical half. Omosita sp Omosita colon? Omosita discoidea ? Omosita depresa ? Urogomphi shorter Abdominal tergites IV-IX with a transverse row of tubercles behind anterocostal suture. Light brown head Abdominal tergites IV-IX without a transverse row of tubercles behind anterocostal suture. Dorsal surface with light beaded longitudinal band. Dark brown head. Nitidula sp. IX D. mustelinus Erichson, 1846 Pregomphi and Urogomphi similar Nitidula flavomaculata Rossi, 1790 Pregomphi clearly smaller than Urogomphi Dorsal surface with broad, longitudinal light band extending from anterior margin of prothorax to abdominal tergites IX-X. Nitidula carnaria (Schaller, 1783) Dermestes sardous ? D. ater (DeGeer, 1774) Dorsal surface with longitudinal light band or row of light spots, but not extending from anterior margin of prothorax to abdominal tergites IX-X. Urogomphi nearly straight, with apices slightly curved Head sclerotization Urogomphi with apices distinctly curved Mediodorsal stripe in thorax Nitidula rufipes ? Nitidula bipunctata ? <6 Nº and shape of retrorse tubercles in terguites IVIX Thorax >6 Dorsal surface without longitudinal band, only with light spots on intersegmental membranes of thoracic and abdominal segments V-VII. Acknowledgments We wish to thank Szymon Matuszewski for contributing Thanatophilus rugosus larvae. References Böving AG, Rozen Jr JG. (1962). Anatomical and systematic study of the mature larvae of the Nitidulidae (Coleoptera). Entomologiske Meddelelser 31:265-299. Hayashi N. (1978). A contribution to the knowledge of the larvae of the Nitidulidae occurring in Japan (Coleoptera: Cucujoidea). Insecta Matsumurana, Series Entomology, New Series 14:1-97. Klausnitzer, B. (1997). Die Larven der Käfer Mitteleuopas. Band L 4. Polyphaga. Teil 3. Krefeld, Goecke & Evers eds.: 39-68 Midgley JM, Richards CS, Villet MH. (2010). The utility of Coleoptera in forensic investigations. In Amendt J et al. (eds) Current concepts in forensic entomology. Springer, Dordrecht, pp. 57-68. Ruzicka, J. (1992). The inmature stages of central European species of Nicrophorus (Cileoptera, Silphifae). Acta Entomol. Bpohemoslov., 89:113-135 Scholtz,C.H. & Lumaret, J.P.(1991) Descriptions of European Trox F. larvae (Coleoptera: Trogidae). The Coleopterists Bulletin, 45 (4): 317-322 Zhantiev RD, Volkova TG. (1998). Larvae of dermestid beetles of the genus Dermestes (Coleoptera, Dermestidae) of Russia and adjacent countries: 1. Subgenus Dermestes. Entomological Review 78:962-968. Zhantiev RD, Volkova TG. (1999). Larvae of dermestid beetles of the genus Dermestes (Coleoptera, Dermestidae) of Russia and adjacent countries: 2. Subgenus Dermestinus. Entomological Review 79:107-117. . View publication stats D. frischii Kugelann, 1792 D. maculatus De Geer, 1774 D. undulatus Brahm, 1790 D. murinus Linnaeus, 1758 any larvae will be welcome to improve this key
