Insect rearing protocols in forensic entomology: Benefits from collective rearing of larvae in a carrion beetle Necrodes littoralis L. (Silphidae).
Forensic entomologists frequently use a developmental method to estimate a post-mortem interval (PMI). Such estimates are based usually on the blow fly larvae or puparia. Data on their development is obtained by rearing them in colonies. In the case of beetles, which can be also useful for PMI estim...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2021-01-01
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| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0260680 |
| _version_ | 1828137956627447808 |
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| author | Joanna Gruszka Szymon Matuszewski |
| author_facet | Joanna Gruszka Szymon Matuszewski |
| author_sort | Joanna Gruszka |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Forensic entomologists frequently use a developmental method to estimate a post-mortem interval (PMI). Such estimates are based usually on the blow fly larvae or puparia. Data on their development is obtained by rearing them in colonies. In the case of beetles, which can be also useful for PMI estimation, development data is frequently collected by rearing them individually. However, some carrion beetles are gregarious, for instance, Necrodes littoralis (Linnaeus, 1758) (Silphidae). We compared mortality, rate of development and body size of emerged adult beetles reared individually and in aggregations. Mortality was much higher for beetles reared individually, particularly at low temperatures. The rearing protocol affected the time of immature development and the size of adult insects. Individually reared specimens developed much longer at 16°C, whereas at 20°C and 26°C development times of individually reared beetles were slightly shorter. Significant differences in the body size were observed only at 16°C; beetles that developed in aggregations were larger at this temperature. These findings demonstrate that aggregating is particularly beneficial for larvae of N. littoralis at low temperatures, where it largely reduces mortality and facilitates growth. Moreover, these results indicate that in forensic entomology the protocol of individual rearing is unsuitable for gregarious beetles, as it produces reference developmental data of low quality. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T18:29:22Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-04a1e3c8d588485f8b46993d4657e9ae |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T18:29:22Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-04a1e3c8d588485f8b46993d4657e9ae2022-12-22T04:09:31ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032021-01-011612e026068010.1371/journal.pone.0260680Insect rearing protocols in forensic entomology: Benefits from collective rearing of larvae in a carrion beetle Necrodes littoralis L. (Silphidae).Joanna GruszkaSzymon MatuszewskiForensic entomologists frequently use a developmental method to estimate a post-mortem interval (PMI). Such estimates are based usually on the blow fly larvae or puparia. Data on their development is obtained by rearing them in colonies. In the case of beetles, which can be also useful for PMI estimation, development data is frequently collected by rearing them individually. However, some carrion beetles are gregarious, for instance, Necrodes littoralis (Linnaeus, 1758) (Silphidae). We compared mortality, rate of development and body size of emerged adult beetles reared individually and in aggregations. Mortality was much higher for beetles reared individually, particularly at low temperatures. The rearing protocol affected the time of immature development and the size of adult insects. Individually reared specimens developed much longer at 16°C, whereas at 20°C and 26°C development times of individually reared beetles were slightly shorter. Significant differences in the body size were observed only at 16°C; beetles that developed in aggregations were larger at this temperature. These findings demonstrate that aggregating is particularly beneficial for larvae of N. littoralis at low temperatures, where it largely reduces mortality and facilitates growth. Moreover, these results indicate that in forensic entomology the protocol of individual rearing is unsuitable for gregarious beetles, as it produces reference developmental data of low quality.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0260680 |
| spellingShingle | Joanna Gruszka Szymon Matuszewski Insect rearing protocols in forensic entomology: Benefits from collective rearing of larvae in a carrion beetle Necrodes littoralis L. (Silphidae). PLoS ONE |
| title | Insect rearing protocols in forensic entomology: Benefits from collective rearing of larvae in a carrion beetle Necrodes littoralis L. (Silphidae). |
| title_full | Insect rearing protocols in forensic entomology: Benefits from collective rearing of larvae in a carrion beetle Necrodes littoralis L. (Silphidae). |
| title_fullStr | Insect rearing protocols in forensic entomology: Benefits from collective rearing of larvae in a carrion beetle Necrodes littoralis L. (Silphidae). |
| title_full_unstemmed | Insect rearing protocols in forensic entomology: Benefits from collective rearing of larvae in a carrion beetle Necrodes littoralis L. (Silphidae). |
| title_short | Insect rearing protocols in forensic entomology: Benefits from collective rearing of larvae in a carrion beetle Necrodes littoralis L. (Silphidae). |
| title_sort | insect rearing protocols in forensic entomology benefits from collective rearing of larvae in a carrion beetle necrodes littoralis l silphidae |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0260680 |
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