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Patterns of insect succession and decomposition on rabbit carcasses over the summer and winter seasons

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Abstract

In Bariq Aseer Province, South Saudi Arabia, insect succession patterns on rabbit carcasses were examined from 17 June to 6 August 2020 and from 15 February to 6 March 2021. Fresh, bloated, decay, and dry stages of decomposition were all studied. Bloated and decay stages exhibited higher taxonomic diversity than fresh and dry stages. Eighteen species, three orders, and eight families were assembled and identified. Ten taxa were active in two seasons, while six species were recorded in the winter season only [Chrysomya marginalis (Wiedemann 1830), Scarabaeus acuticollis Motschulsky, 1849, Hister sp., Trichomyrmex destructor (Jerdon 1851), Monomorium sp, and Brachyponera sennaarensis (Mayr 1862)] and two species in the summer season [Camponotus aegyptiacus Emery 1915 and C. fellah Dalla Torre 1893]. A new species of beetle S. acuticollis was discovered that was not recorded in any region of Saudi Arabia. On the other hand, this study also reported on the ant species Monomorium bicolor and another species of beetle, Onthophagus variegatus (Fabricius 1798). But other members of the same genus had been recorded in Saudi Arabia in the past. Insect taxa associated with forensic investigations in the region of Bariq Aseer Province, South Saudi Arabia, were significant in determining the postmortem interval (PMI) during both seasons and different stages of decomposition.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to express their gratitude to Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University Researchers Supporting Project number (PNURSP2023R365), Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Our gratitude also goes to the Researchers Supporting Project (RSP2023R112), King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, College of Science and Arts, King Khalid University, Muhayl Asser, Saudi Arabia

    Sadeq K. Alhag & Abdelmonem Eltiyab Houmida Ali

  2. Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia

    Fahd A. AL-Mekhlafi, Osama Al-Zahrani & Mohammed S. Al-Khalifa

  3. Department of Biology, College of Science, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, P.O Box 88428, Riyadh, 11671, Saudi Arabia

    Laila A. AL-shuraym

  4. Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80203, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia

    Jazem A. Mahyoub

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  1. Sadeq K. Alhag
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  2. Fahd A. AL-Mekhlafi
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  3. Osama Al-Zahrani
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  7. Mohammed S. Al-Khalifa
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Contributions

All authors contributed materially to this scientific research. SA and FA planned the work and wrote the manuscript. OA, LA, AA and JM performed the experiments. F.A, MA and SA Revised and edited the manuscript. All authors accepted the final version of this work.

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Correspondence to Fahd A. AL-Mekhlafi.

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Alhag, S.K., AL-Mekhlafi, F.A., Al-Zahrani, O. et al. Patterns of insect succession and decomposition on rabbit carcasses over the summer and winter seasons. Int J Trop Insect Sci 43, 1715–1722 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42690-023-01065-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42690-023-01065-9

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