Entomologia forense: insetti e indagini tecniche

La relazione tra gli insetti e l’uomo è argomento di base dell’entomologia applicata, la disciplina che utilizza le conoscenze sulla biologia e sul comportamento degli insetti per risolvere questioni legate alle attività antropiche. In ambito giuridico, l’entomologia forense (che comprende: l’entomologia urbana, l’entomologia dei prodotti immagazzinati e l’entomologia medico-legale) trova applicazione in controversie civili e penali legate ad insetti e/o artropodi che infestano l’ambiente umano. L’entomologia forense medico-legale si occupa di diversi gruppi tassonomici di insetti (in particolare Ditteri e Coleotteri) e tra questi le mosche rivestono un ruolo di primaria importanza

Wohlfahrtiosis in Italy: a case in a puppy and overview of geographical distribution

The report describes a case of urogenital myiasis in a puppy,Canis lupus familiaris(Carnivora: Canidae) caused byWohlfahrtia magnifica(Diptera: Sarcophagidae) in Calabria, southern Italy. This species is an obligatory agent of myiasis in human and other warm-blooded vertebrates. The puppy was healthy and was not living near farm animals, usual hosts of this flesh fly. An overview of cases of human and animal myiasis caused byW. magnificain Italy and of data and specimens documented in entomology museum collections is also reported

First report of the presence of Necrodes littoralis (L.) (Coleoptera: Silphidae) on a human corpse in Italy

The colonization of a human body by Necrodes littoralis (L.) (Coleoptera: Silphidae) is reported for the first time in Italy. This species is both necrophagous and predator of necrophagous fauna. The body colonized by the coleopteran was found indoors, in an advanced decomposition stage, in a suburban area of Cosenza (Calabria, Southern Italy) in November. Insects (adults, puparia and larvae) were collected on and around the body. Puparia and larvae were raised in the laboratory until the adult stage for morphological identification, which was carried out through taxonomical keys. Besides N. littoralis, also the presence of Calliphora vicina Robineau-Desvoidy, Chrysomya albiceps (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Calliphoridae), Hydrotaea dentipes (Fabricius) (Diptera: Muscidae), and Creophilus maxillosus (L.) (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) was detected. Necrodes littoralis is a species of forensic interest because it may colonize human and vertebrate corpses and has been reported elsewhere in Europe

L’eterotterofauna di un’azienda agricola a conduzione biologica del versante ionico calabrese

THE HETEROPTERA OF ORGANIC MANAGED FARM ON THE IONIAN COAST OF CALABRIA The investigated farm, whose extent is about 34 hectares located on the Copanello promontory (province of Catanzaro), was subdivided into six zones differing in environmental and vegetative characteristics and technique of cultivation. Sixtyfour species of Heteroptera were collected, directly on plants, or using pitt-fall and light traps. Most Heteroptera were phytophagous species living on herbaceous plants in a zone of the farm little affected by human activities, where the technique of cultivation was limitated to a yearly tilling. Key words: bugs, vegetation, biodiversity, Southern Italy. L’azienda indagata, di circa 34 ettari, ubicata sul promontorio di Copanello (CZ) è stata suddivisa in 6 aree con caratteristiche paesaggistiche e floristico/vegetazionali differenti, caratterizzate da vari gradi di naturalità e soggette a pratiche colturali diverse. Gli esemplari di Eterotteri censiti, per un totale di 64 specie, sono stati raccolti principalmente tramite cattura diretta, o utilizzando trappole a caduta e/o trappole luminose. Gli Eterotteri, per la maggior parte, sono stati raccolti sulla vegetazione, soprattutto piante erbacee, in alcune aree dell’azienda dove l’impatto antropico è piuttosto limitato. Parole chiave: Cimici, vegetazione, biodiversità, Sud Italia

Agonistic behaviour of Scarites buparius (Forster, 1771) (Coleoptera: Carabidae) in relation to body size

Intra-male aggressive behaviour of Scarites buparius was analysed; agonistic interaction between males consisted of a repeated series of fighting events. We defined this behaviour as “agonistic” because a dominance/submission status was established. We measured the males and found that the attack behaviour persistence is correlated with the body length

Morphological characterization of the antenna of Torymus sinensis (Hymenoptera: Torymidae) and a comparison within the superfamily Chalcidoidea

The parasitoid Torymus sinensis (Hymenoptera: Torymidae) has been successfully used in Italy since 2005 for biological control of the invasive cynipid Dryocosmus kuriphilus (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae), highly destructive for the economically relevant Castanea sativa (Fagales: Fagaceae). In order to investigate the morphological aspects related to sensorial behavior, a fine morphology study of the antennae and their sensilla was conducted by scanning electron microscopy on both sexes of T. sinensis. The antennae, composed of a scape, a pedicel and a flagellum with ten flagellomeres, had chaetic sensilla of six sub types, placoid sensilla of three subtypes, trichoid sensilla, sensilla with a roundish grooved tip, and coeloconic sensilla. The chaetic sensilla of the first three subtypes were found in the scape and in the pedicel, and those of the last three subtypes, together with trichoid, roundish grooved tip and coeloconic sensilla, were found only on flagellomeres. Sexual dimorphism was detected in the morphology of the proper pedicel and the flagellum, and in the presence and distribution of the sensilla and their subtypes. The morphological aspects of the antenna of T. sinensis and of its sensilla were compared with those found in the family Torymidae and in other families of the extremely diverse superfamily Chalcidoide

Behavioral and chemical antipredator mechanisms in ground beetles: an attempt to reconcile within a phylogenetic frame

Like other coleopterans, Carabids are recognized for the use of passive and active strategies against their enemies. They are known to produce dangerous and distasteful chemicals and to use anti-predator behaviors such crypsis/mimicry, gregariousness, intra- and interspecific helpful interactions, sound production and aposematism. While defensive chemicals have been an important element in the successful diversification of ground beetles, in many tribes of this wide adephagan family many other systems have evolved and discovered.  Here we present a review on the current knowledge of the avoidance mechanisms in carabids, with a discussion of data on chemical products, morphological adaptations and behaviors used against vertebrate and invertebrate predators. The most widespread strategy is discouragement of the predators using pygidial gland secretions, but passive anti-predator strategies are also displayed as group-protecting behavior through intraspecific aggregations or communal roosting. Most adult carabids tend to be dark in color and thus less detectable, but chemically well-protected taxa use the opposite strategy, displaying bright colors related to mimicry or aposematism. In aposematic species, group-protecting behavior has probably evolved from intraspecific gregariousness into multispecies aggregations. Larval behavioral strategies are related more closely to the epigean or underground lifestyle. In surface-living larvae, cannibalism avoidance and the usage of defensive substances have been reported for Chlaeniini. In this tribe we found an interesting coincidence between a high level of toxicity/distastefulness and a complex larval behavior.  Based mainly on the genus-level supertree of Beutel et al. (2008) and the phylogenetic analyses of Ober & Maddison (2008) we reconstructed the evolutionary relationships among the chemical classes isolated inside the tribes. The scenario shows that several semiochemical classes (quinone/benzoquinones, formic acid, m-cresol, methacrylic acid, isovaleric acid, ß-necrodol, benzaldehyde, etc.) found in carabids are at least in part related to their life style and habitat selection. The proposed relationship still lacks other chemical data of the missing genera/species and even if the knowledge of carabid anti-predator strategies still seems to be in the pioneer stage, future studies on carabid anti-predator behavior look very promising

Necrophagous species living in Calabria and their application in forensinc field

Dottorato di Ricerca in Biologia Animale, XXV Ciclo, a.a. 2011-2012Università della Calabri

Predator feeding choice on conspicuous and non-conspicuous carabid beetles: first results

Insects use various types of behaviour, chemical defences, mimetic, aposematic or cryptic appearances as anti-predatory strategies. Among insects, carabid beetles of the genus Brachinus are distasteful prey because they discharge an irritating “cloud” of quinones when threatened. These beetles live in aggregations and adopt warning (conspicuous pattern) colours and chemicals to create a template that is easily learnt by predators. Another carabid beetle, Anchomenus dorsalis, mimics the colours and cuticular profile of Brachinus and is usually found in Brachinus aggregations. In this paper we report results from laboratory observations on feeding choice of the following natural predators - Crocidura leucodon (Insectivora: Soricidae), Ocypus olens (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) and Podarcis sicula (Reptilia: Lacertidae) - on carabid beetle species. Comparing the number of attacks of predators towards aposematic and non-aposematic prey, there was a statistically significant preference towards non-aposematic prey