The species Nitidula carnaria (Schaller) (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) has economic and forensics importance. The mature larva, reared under controlled conditions of laboratory, was described for the first time. Moreover, preliminary information about the life cycle is provided. The time recorded from the instance mates placed together to the emergence of imago was 59 ± 2.4 days. This publication represents the first record of N. carnaria in South America.La especie Nitidula carnaria (Schaller) (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) tiene importancia económica y forense. Por primera vez, se describe la larva madura criada bajo condiciones controladas de laboratorio. Además, se suministra información preliminar del ciclo de vida. Desde la formación de parejas reproductivas hasta obtener el imago, el tiempo registrado fue de 59 ± 2,4 días. Esta publicación es el primer reporte de N. carnaria en Sudámerica.Fil: Zanetti, Noelia Inés. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Biologia, Bioquimica y Farmacia. Catedra de Parasitologia Clinica; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes. Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnologia. Laboratorio de Entomologia Aplicada y Forense; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Visciarelli, Elena Concepción. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes. Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnologia. Laboratorio de Entomologia Aplicada y Forense; ArgentinaFil: Centeno, Néstor D. . Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Biologia, Bioquimica y Farmacia. Catedra de Parasitologia Clinica; Argentin

Centeno, Néstor D.

Visciarelli, Elena Concepción

Zanetti, Noelia Inés

Revista de la Sociedad Entomológica Argentina

CONICET Digital

195Preliminary data on larval morphology and life cycle of Nitidula carnaria (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae), a species of forensic interest1Laboratorio de Entomología Aplicada y Forense, Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología, Universidad Nacional de Quilmes, Sáenz Peña 352, Bernal (1876), Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina. E-mails: noeinesz@yahoo.com.ar; ncenteno@unq.edu.ar. 2Cátedra de Parasitología Clínica, Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia, Uni-versidad Nacional del Sur, San Juan 670, Bahía Blanca (8000), Provincia de Buenos Aires Argentina. E-mail: evisciar@criba.edu.arDatos preliminares de la morfología de la larva y del ciclo biológico de Nitidula carnaria (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae), una especie de interés forenseRESUMEN. La especie Nitidula carnaria (Schaller) (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) tiene importancia económica y forense. Por primera vez, se describe la larva madura criada bajo condiciones controladas de laboratorio. Además, se suministra infor-mación preliminar del ciclo de vida. Desde la formación de parejas reproductivas hasta obtener el imago, el tiempo registrado fue de 59 ± 2,4 días. Esta publicación es el primer reporte de N. carnaria en Sudámerica.PALABRAS CLAVE. Argentina. Coleópteros carroñeros. Entomología forense. Ci-clo de vida.ABSTRACT. The species Nitidula carnaria (Schaller) (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) has economic and forensics importance. The mature larva, reared under controlled con-ditions of laboratory, was described for the first time. Moreover, preliminary informa-tion about the life cycle is provided. The time recorded from the instance mates placed together to the emergence of imago was 59 ± 2.4 days. This publication represents the first record of N. carnaria in South America.KEY WORDS. Argentina. Carrion beetles. Forensic entomology. Life cycle.ZANETTI, Noelia I.1,2, Elena C. VISCIARELLI2 & Néstor D. CENTENO1davers of animals in different regions such as South America (Mavárez-Cardozo et al., 2005), North America (William et al., 1992; Watson & Carlton, 2005), Spain (Castillo-Miralbés, 2001) and Japan (Hayashi, 1978), and specimens were also collected from human corpses (Adair & Kondratieff, 1996).In South America, few works have men-tioned the presence of Nitidulidae in cadavers. A study was performed in Colombia under field conditions where entomofauna succession was analyzed (Olaya Másmela, 2001). A review in-volving records from forensic cases where Car-pophilus hemipterus Linnaeus was found in the medullar cavities of bones was published in Argentina (Oliva, 2001). Furthermore, Carpo-INTRODUCTIONNitidulidae is a family with species distrib-uted in various habitats, that feed on materials of different origin such as flowers, fruits, sap, fungi, stored products, decaying and ferment-ing plant tissues or dead animal tissue (Parsons, 1943; Hayashi, 1978). This family comprises nine subfamilies, excluding Cybocephalidae/Cybocephalinae, and more than 100 genera. Al-though there are many species of sap beetles, there is more information on genera or species of Nitidulidae that attack fruit or vegetables, for which they are regarded as pests (Leschen & Marris, 2005). Some Nitidulidae species were found in ca-Recibido: 17-VII-2013; aceptado: 07-XI-2013Trabajo Científico ArticleISSN 0373-5680 (impresa), ISSN 1851-7471 (en línea) Revista de la Sociedad Entomológica Argentina 72 (3-4): 195-198, 2013Revista de la Sociedad Entomológica Argentina 72 (3-4): 195-198, 2013196philus and three unidentified species of Nitid-ulidae were collected on a pig carcass during a survey of Coleoptera carried out in the South of Brazil (Mise et al., 2007). No records of Nitidula carnaria Schaller in South America have been published so far.Nitidula Fabricius, Omosita Erichson and Carpophilus Stephens include species that have been found on carrion, and can thus be useful in forensic research (Smith, 1986). In general, those species were associated to advanced stages of decomposition (Payne & King, 1970; Olaya Másmela, 2001; García-Rojo & Honorato, 2006), although some of them were seen in ac-tive decay stages (García-Rojo, 2004). The proper identification of arthropod species of forensic importance is crucial in forensic en-tomology. Inaccurate determinations invalidate the estimation of the postmortem interval (Byrd & Castner, 2001). There is a lack of knowledge of life cycles and habits of Nitidulidae, particularly of species of forensic relevance. Information on the biology of species involved with dead bodies under certain rearing conditions will be helpful in forensic entomology, allowing the estimation of the postmortem interval and other patterns re-lated with the discipline. The redescription of the adult morphology has been performed by Audi-sio (1993). The aims of this study were to report for the first time N. carnaria in South America, to describe for the first time the morphology of ma-ture larvae and to present preliminary data on the life cycle of N. carnaria. MATERIALS AND METHODSFor the purpose of studying adults and ma-ture larvae of N. carnaria, field succession ex-periments were performed using pig carcasses (Centeno et al., 2002) exposed to direct sunlight and other natural conditions on the ground, in a semi-urban area of Bahía Blanca (38° 43’ 2’’S - 62° 15’ 54’’W), Buenos Aires province, Argen-tina. Three female pigs selected from the same litter were killed by a stab to the heart and put inside a cage made of wood and wire mesh. Once in the lab a total of 12 N. carnaria adults of both sexes were placed inside a plas-tic container measuring 12 × 8 cm and filled with approximately 3 cm of sand. To provide protection and a source of humidity and water, we introduced a piece of cotton soaked with distilled water. Semi-dry beef was supplied as a food source. The containers were maintained in a stove at 25 ± 3 °C, 54 ± 2% relative humidity and 12:12 hour D:L cycle. We made daily ob-servations on the culture, which was maintained for three generations. Five mature larvae were examined; more specimens were not extracted so as not to affect the culture, since it had to be used in subsequent studies. Specimens were killed and preserved in 70% ethanol. Terminol-ogy for describing structures of larvae was tak-en from Carlton & Leschen (2007). Examination and photographs of larvae were obtained using a Leica S6D stereoscopic binocular microscope connected to a digital Sony AGO09 camera. Drawings were made with an Olympus CH20 microscope with an Olympus tubular drawing accessory. The length of the period from the day that adults were placed together until the emer-gence of imago was estimated as the average of the three generations obtained. RESULTSNitidula carnaria (Schaller, 1783)Nitidula quadripustulata Fabricius, 1792: 72 (lista)Nitidula variata Stephens, 1830: 72 (lista)(From Mann, 2012)Description of larvae.Mature larvae: 4-4.1 mm long and 0.5 mm wide across abdominal fourth segment. Body sub-parallel getting constricted at segment 9, which bears pregomphi and urogomphi. Color: orange-white; head orange; mouthparts darker except maxillary palpi, lighter; antennae light or-ange; dorsal plates of thoracic and abdominal segments orange, except tenth segment, white; spiracles orange; legs soft orange almost hya-line; ventral surface white. Tegument cracked. Head: 0.8-1 mm long and 1.1 mm wide; prognathus; surface weakly wrinkled and shin-ing; two stemmata of different size on each side. Behind stemmata three pairs of setae of differ-ent length in dorsal region, the shortest in the middle. Antennae three-segmented with some setae. The last antennomere thinner than the first and second, finishing in a seta located just in the middle (Fig. 1). Palpi three-segmented. Labrum with two pairs of setae, the larger lo-cated near laterals. Thorax: Prothorax slightly narrower and Zanetti, N. I. et al. Description of larvae of N. carnaria197longer than meso- and metathorax. Prothoracic plate occupying most of dorsum. Meso- and metathorax of similar length. Thoracic segments with short setae in the middle and two pairs of large and slender setae on dorsolateral region. The first pair (shortest) located 1/3 at the begin-ning of the segment and the second (longest) almost 3/4 of it. Ventrally, two pairs of setae with the large one behind the short one. Legs: Five-segmented with setae and nota-ble separation between segments. The first is the widest, the third is the largest and the fifth is the smallest finishing in a nail (Fig. 2). Spiracles: Located laterally in mesothorax and metathorax on papillae or tubercles, and on the first eight abdominal segments (Fig. 3). Abdomen: Abdominal segments 1 to 8 simi-lar to meso- and metathorax. Segment 9 nar-rower than 8. Pregomphi and urogomphi locat-ed on sclerotized last plate. Pregomphi smaller than urogomphi with a terminal seta. Urogomphi softly curved, gradually decreasing in width to-wards apex and with four lateral setae on a stout tubercle and one near the edge (Fig. 4). Tenth segment circular and soft. Sternal areas soft, membranous and with long and short setae with the same disposition as in thoracic segments. Description of life cycle.We obtained some preliminary results of the life cycle of N. carnaria under controlled conditions in laboratory. Table I shows the length of different stages of the life cycle. After mating, females laid eggs but these could not be observed. Approxi-mately, 13 days after the adults were placed to-gether, the first larval stage appeared. The larvae were found under the semi-dry beef and buried in the sand. It took 35-40 days for pupation to start. No pupal chambers were seen, instead pupae were found between the sand substrate and the piece of cotton. The emergence of the imago oc-curred 8-10 days after pupation. At first the color-ation of the adults was lighter, but it darkened after 24 hours. A total 59 ± 2.4 days elapsed from the moment that adults were placed together to the emergence of imago. DISCUSSIONKnowledge on the biology of the genus Nitid-ula is scarce. This publication represents the first record of N. carnaria as a species of foren-sic importance in South America, and provides the first data on its rearing in controlled condi-tions. This is important because the laboratory rearing of insects collected from a death scene is a key step in the analysis of entomological ev-idence, and it should not be overlooked (Byrd & Castern, 2001). We could not observe eggs, but they were supposed to have been laid on or un-der the food source, as is the case for other spe-cies of Nitidulidae whose eggs are deposited on or near decomposing plant material (Sanford & Luckmann, 1963). This paper contributes with preliminary biological and forensic information. Finally, further research will be conducted on the biology of N. carnaria, in order to determine the exact length of each stage, which will be of Figs. 1-4. Some structures of mature larva. 1, antenna; 2, leg; 3, spiracles (schematic); 4, pregomphi, urogomphi and tenth segment (schematic).Revista de la Sociedad Entomológica Argentina 72 (3-4): 195-198, 2013198ADAIR, T. W. & B. C. KONDRATIEFF. 1996. The occurrence of Nitidula flavomaculata (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) on a hu-man corpse. Entomological News 107: 233-236.AUDISIO, P. 1993. Fauna d’Italia XXXII. Coleoptera Nitiduli-dae - Kateretidae. Calderini, Bologna.BYRD, J. H. & J. L. CASTNER. 2001. Forensic Entomol-ogy: The utility of arthropods in legal investigations. CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida.CARLTON, C. & R. A. B. LESCHEN. 2007. Description of Soronia complex (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae: Nitidulinae) larvae of New Zealand with comments on life history and taxonomy. New Zealand Entomologist 30: 41-51.CASTILLO-MIRALBÉS, M. 2001. Artrópodos presentes en car-roña de cerdos en la Comarca de la Litera (Huesca). Bo-letín de la Sociedad Entomológica Aragonesa 28: 133-140. CENTENO, N., M. MALDONADO & A. OLIVA. 2002. Seasonal patterns of arthropods occurring on sheltered and unshel-tered pig carcasses in Buenos Aires Province (Argentina). Forensic Science International 126: 63-70. GARCÍA-ROJO, A. M. 2004. Estudio de la sucesión de insec-tos en cadáveres en Alcalá De Henares (Comunidad Au-tónoma de Madrid) utilizando cerdos domésticos como modelos animales. Boletín de la Sociedad Entomológica Aragonesa 34: 263-269.LITERATURE CITEDGARCÍA-ROJO, A. M. & L. HONORATO. 2006. La Ento-mología Forense y la práctica policial en España: esti-mación del intervalo post-mortem en un cadáver hallado en el interior de una arqueta en la comunidad de Madrid. Ciencia Forense 8: 57-62.HAYASHI, N. 1978. A contribution to the knowledge of the lar-vae of Nitidulidae occurring in Japan (Coleoptera: Cucu-joidea). Insecta Matsumurana (N. S.) 14: 1-97.LESCHEN, R. A. B. & J. W. M. MARRIS. 2005. Carpophilus (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) of New Zealand with notes on Australian species. Landcare Research Contract Report: LCO405/153: 1-40. MANN, D. J. 2012. Family Scarabaeidae Latreille, 1802. En: Duff, A. G. (ed.), Checklist of Beetles of the British Isles. 2nd edition, Pemberley Books, Iver, pp. 55-58.MAVÁREZ-CARDOZO, M. G., A. I. ESPINA DE FEREIRA, F. A. BARRIOS-FERRER & J. L. FEREIRA-PAZ. 2005. La Ento-mología forense y el Neotrópico. Cuadernos de Medicina Forense 11: 23-33.MISE, K. M., L. M. ALMEIDA & M. O. MOURA. 2007. Levan-tamento da fauna de Coleoptera que habita a carcaca de Sus scrofa L., em Curitiba, Parana. Revista Brasileira de Entomologia 51: 358-368.OLAYA MÁSMELA, L. A. 2001. Entomofauna sucesional en el cadáver de un cánido en condiciones de campo en la Universidad del Valle (Cali-Colombia). Cuadernos de Medicina Forense 23: 5-14. OLIVA, A. 2001. Insects of forensic significance in Argentina. Forensic Science International 120: 145-154.PARSONS, C. T. 1943. A revision of Neartic Nitidulidae (Cole-optera). Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 92: 119-278.PAYNE, J. A. & E. W. KING. 1970. Coleoptera associated with pig carrion. Entomologist’s Monthly Magazine 105: 224-232.SANFORD, J. W. & W. H. LUCKMAN. 1963. Observations on the biology and control of the dusky sap beetle in Illinois. Proceedings of the North-Central Branch of the Entomo-logical Society of America 18: 39-43.SCHALLER, J. G. 1783. Neue Insekten. Abhandlungen der Hallischen Naturforschenden Gesellschaft 1: 217-332.SMITH, K. G. V. 1986. A Manual of Forensic Entomology. London British Museum of Natural History, Cornell Univ. Press, London.WATSON, E. J. & C. E. CARLTON. 2005. Insect succession and decomposition of wildlife carcasses during fall and winter in Louisiana. Journal of Medical Entomology 42: 193-203.WILLIAMS, R. N., J. L. BLACKMER, D. S. RICHMOND & M. S. ELLIS. 1992. Nitidulidae (Coleoptera) diversity in three natural preserves in Portage County, Ohio. Ohio Journal of Science 92: 82-87.great value to the further improvement of the PMI estimation and other forensic implications. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSThe authors wish to thank Agr. Eng. Barriga-Tuñón for corroborating the taxonomic determi-nation of adult specimens, Dr. Daniel Tanzola for allowing us the use of a camera lucida to obtain morphological drawings and Dra. Mari-ana Chani-Posse for her helpful comments on the manuscript. This research was funded by Universidad Nacional de Quilmes. Noelia Inés Zanetti thanks CONICET for her fellowship.Table I. Length (days) of the life cycle stages (mean ± standard error) per generation at 25 ± 3°C, 54 ± 2% relative humidity and 12:12 hour D:L cycle.Adults togethera/Eclosion Larval period Pupal period Total LengthGeneration 1 13 40 8 61Generation 2 13 40 10 63Generation 3 12 35 8 55Mean ± SE 12.7 ± 0.3 38.3 ± 1.7 8.7 ± 0.7 59.7 ± 2.4aPeriod from the moment adults were placed together until eclosion of eggs.

Datos preliminares de la morfología de la larva y del ciclo biológico de Nitidula
carnaria (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae), una especie de interés forense

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Datos preliminares de la morfología de la larva y del ciclo biológico de Nitidula carnaria (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae), una especie de interés forense

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