DECOMPOSITION AND ARTHROPOD SUCCESSION ON ABOVE GROUND PIG CARRION IN

215 Pages·2009·21.06 MB·English

DECOMPOSITION AND ARTHROPOD
SUCCESSION ON ABOVE GROUND
PIG CARRION IN RURAL MANITOBA
by
Ginger Julia Gill
A thesis submitted to the Faculty of
Graduate Studies in partial fulfillment of
the requirements for the degree of
MASTER OF SCIENCE
Department of Entomology University of
Manitoba Winnipeg, Manitoba
Gtl
@CopvnroHT BY Grucrn Juun
JRruunRv 2005.
TIIE T]NTVERSITY OF MANITOBA
FACULTY OF' GRADUATE STTIDIES
*****
COPYRIGHT PERMISSION PAGE
Decomposition and Arthropod Succession on
Above Ground Pig Carrion in Rural Manitoba
BY
Ginger Julia Gill
A ThesisÆracticum submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies of The University
of Manitoba in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree
of
MASTER OF'SCIENCE
GINGER JULIA GILL @2005
Permission has been granted to the Library of The University of Manitoba to lend or sell copies
of this thesisþracticum, to the National Library of Canada to microfilm this thesis and to lend
or sell copies of the film, and to University Microfilm Inc. to publish an abstract of this
thesisþracticum.
The author reserves other publication rights, and neither this thesis/practicum nor extensive
extracts from it may be printed or otherwise reproduced without the authorrs written
permission.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The Canadian Police Research Centre and the Manitoba Department of
Justice provided funding for this project, with special mention to R.P.
Chamberlain of the Manitoba Law Enforcement Services.
I would like to give my sincere thanks to my advisor, Dr. Terry Galloway, for
his insightful guidance and patience throughout the project and writing
process. I would also like to thank Dr. GailAnderson for providing me with
this unique and wonderful opportunity.
Many thanks to my committee members, Dr. Robert Roughley and Dr.
Norman Kenkel, for their input and direction. I must express gratitude to the
entire Department of Entomology who continually encouraged my enthusiasm
for insects, with a special mention to Dr. P.A. MacKay.
I thank Markus G. Dyck for his many talents, his vigilance and his endurance
and Wendy L. Graham-Ray for her meticulous approach to this work. I would
also like to express gratitude to Mona Chappellaz, Debra Wytrykush, Stacie
Stiege, Gavin Law, Patrice Bouchard, Andrew Galloway and Chris Turner for
their support and volunteered time. I thank Dr. Darren Pollock for his
assistance in identifying many of the beetle specimens; Dr. Terry Wheeler at
McGill University for providing helpful tips on identifying the more difficult
dipteran groups; Dr. Yves Bouquet at the Canadian National Collection of
lnsects for identifying the histerid specimens; and Dr. Jeff Cummings and Mr.
Bruce Cooper at the Canadian National Collection of lnsects for providing
such a vast resource of information for Diptera identifications.
I would like to give a special mention to Dr. W. Guenter for authorizing the
use of Glenlea Research Station; Marchand Resources for authorizing the
use of Sandilands Provincial Forest; and Len and Ella Knaggs for kindly
offering their property in Elm Creek to conduct this project.
On a special and personal note, I would like to express tremendous gratitude
to my mother, Gwen Gill, for her unconditional faith and support during this
project and to Jo-Anne Lowenberger for her guidance in the best way of life
I
have ever known.
llt
ABSTRACT
This study was conducted to determine the succession of necrophilous
insects on sun- and shade-exposed pig carrion. Twenty-two, seventy
kilogram, clothed, fresh domestic pig carcasses (Sus scrofa L.) were
monitored throughout decomposition in three rural areas in Manitoba during
trials beginning in spring, summer and fall. A minimum of 13 arthropod
orders, 61 families and 95 species collected manually and in pitfalltraps over
the duration of the study were identified. From this information, the arrival
times and duration of stay were recorded for some of the most numerous
species: Calliphora vicina Robineau-Desvoidy, Calliphora vomitoria
(Linnaeus), Cynomya cadaverina (Robineau-Desvoidy), Lucilia illustris
(Meigen), Phormia regina (Meigen) and Protophormia terraenovae
(Roboneau-Desvoidy) (Calliphorid ae); Prochyliza xanthostoma Walker,
Stearibia nigriceps (Meigen) (Piophilidae); Necrodes surinamensrs (Fabricius)
and O i ce o pto m a n ov e b o ra ce n si s ( Forster) (S i I ph i d ae) ; C reo p h i I us maxl/osus
(Li nnaeus) and Onth o/esfes ci n g u I atu s (Graven horst) (Staphyl i n idae) ;
Necrobia rufipes (DeGeer) and Necrobia violacea (Linnaeus) (Cleridae);
Glischrochilus quadrisignatus (Say) and Nitidula ziczac Say (Nitidulidae);
Dermestes afer DeGeer, Dermestes fasciatus LeConte , Dermestes lardarius
Lin naeus (Dermestid ae); Trox u n i stri atus Beauvois (Trogidae) i G eotru pe s
semiopacus Jekel (Geotrupidae) over the entire decay process. The
Calliphoridae predominated in the carcasses during the fresh, bloat and decay
stages of decomposition; predators such as the Staphylinidae and some
Silphidae arrived in this sequence to feed on these species; as decay
progressed, species of $ilphidae, Piophilidae, Cleridae, Nitidulidae and
iv
Dermestidae, colonized the carcasses. There was no difference in the
arthropod community collected from sun- and shade- exposed pig carrion;
however, there were differences in species composition among the three rural
areas. Calliphora vicina was present exclusively on sun-exposed carrion
during the summer trial and on shade-exposed carrion in the spring trial;
Calliphora vomitoria was collected solely during the fall trial; C. cadaverina
was found only during the spring trial. Phormia regina was the predominant
calliphorid species and was present in sun and shade-exposed carrion in all
three trials; L. illustris and P. terraenovae also occurred in allthree areas.
Ambient air temperature had no observed effect on maggot mass
temperature; however, during the summer trial, development time for P.
regina was faster in sun-exposed carrion. Decomposition and insect
colonization were monitored for more than 11 months for the spring trial, 14
months for the summer trial and 12 months for the fall trial. The fresh, bloat,
decay and advanced decay stages of decomposition were obvious; however,
a discrete stage beyond the advanced decay stage was not apparent. This
study provides baseline information on the necrophilous fauna for estimating
postmortem interval in cases of human death in Manitoba.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
AcrruowleDGMENTS..
....................... ii
AesrRAcr
...................... iv
............
TReLe or CorurrruTS ...........vi
FrouRes...
Lrsr or ........ viii
Tneles
Lrsr or ............ xiv
4pperuotces..............
Lrsr or .........xv
lrurnooucroN
CHnpren 1: ..................
1
CHRpren 2: Revrew or PeRrtruE¡¡t LtteRRruRE........... .......... 5
Ecology
Carrion ............5
Entomology..............
Forensic .......7
Habitat.............
Carrion as a ........11
.........
Carrion Decomposition .......12
Carrion..............
lnsect Succession on ......... 16
l. Calliphoridae
.................. 18
ll. Sarcophagidae.........
......21
lll. Muscidae.
......24
lV. Piophilidae
.....24
V. Silphidae
.......25
Vl. Staphylinidae...........
......26
Vll. .
Vlll. CDleeridrame . e. stidae............ .. .. .. 26
.......27
lX. Nitidulidae
.....27
X.
Geotrupidae/Trogidae.............. .......27
Factors Affecting lnsect Succession.............. ................ 28
l.
GeographicalDistribution.................................29
ll. lnfluences
Seasonal .......31
lll. Humidity
Temperature and ............ 33
lV. Influences
Habitat ..........35
V. lnsects
Biology of Carrion ...............37
Death...
A Toolfor Estimating Time of .......... 39
............
Conclusions ....45
MerHoos
CHnpren 3: MnTEnALSAND ...............48
VI
vil
LIST OF FIGURES
F¡GURE
1. Caged pig carcass in a sunny area. This photograph was taken at
Elm Creek, MB at the start of the spring trial (29 May, 1999) ...........106
2. Caged pig carcass in a shaded area. This photograph was taken
on Day 2 at Elm Creek, MB during the spring trial (31 May, 1999)...107
3. Steel cages used to protect pig carcasses from vedebrate
scavengers at Glenlea Research Station and Sandilands Provincial
Forest......
..........109
4. Arrangement and classification of sampled (4, B, C and D) and
unsampled (Ec, Fc, Gc and Hc) pig carcasses in sunny and shaded
areas at Glenlea Research Station, Sandilands Provincial Forest
and Elm Creek. lnsects associated with pig carcasses A, B, C and
D were collected via handpicking and pitfall traps. lnsects
associated with pig carcasses Ec, Fc, Gc and Hc were not collectedl09
5. Sample methods used to collect insects from pig carcasses (4, B,
C and D) in sunny and shaded areas at Glenlea Research Station,
Creek......
Sandilands Provincial Forest and Elm .......'...'..110
6. Arrangement of pitfall traps surrounding each pig carcass at
Glenlea Research Station, Sandilands Provincial Forest and Elm
Creek. All plots were 2 x 18m and a distance of at least 50m
carcass..........
separated each ...."....112
7. The orientation of a pitfall trap relative to a caged pig carcass (A)
and one pitfall trap showing its placement, wooden cover and trap
capture of maggots during a one-week period (B) ......... .................113
8. HOBO@temperature data logger probe inserted into knife wound of
pig thorax to measure the internal carcass temperature of pig
carrion in sunny and shaded areas at Glenlea Research Station,
Creek......
Sandilands Provincial Forest and Elm ..............114
9. HOBO@temperature data logger probe situated approximately 1m
above ground to measure the ambient air temperature in sunny and
shaded areas at Glenlea Research Station, Sandilands Provincial
Creek
Forest and Elm .......115
vl¡t
10.Tripod and scale used to measure pig carrion biomass loss over
time in sunny and shaded areas at Glenlea Research Station and
Creek
Elm .........116
11.Time of arrival and duration of stay of the adult Calliphoridae
collected from pig carcasses in sunny and shaded areas at Glenlea
Research Station. The slash marks denote the winter period (//).
(Start date: 30 June, 1998; Winter period: 01 October, 1998 -
1999)........
14May,1999; End date: 01 September, .......117
12.Time of arrival and duration of stay of the adult and larval
Piophilidae collected from pig carcasses in sunny and shaded
areas at Glenlea Research Station. The slash marks denote the
winter period (//). (Start date: 30 June, 1998; Winter period: 01
October, 1998 - 14May,1999; End date: 01 September, 1999).....119
13. Time of arrival and duration of stay of the adult and larval Silphidae
collected from pig carcasses in sunny and shaded areas at Glenlea
Research Station. The slash marks denote the winter period (//).
(Start date: 30 June, 1998; Winter period: 01 October, 1998 - 14
1999)
May, 1999; End date: 01 September, ....121
14.Time of arrival and duration of stay of the adult Staphylinidae
collected from pig carcasses in sunny and shaded areas at Glenlea
Research Station. The slash marks denote the winter period (//).
(Start date: 30 June, 1998; Winter period: 01 October, 1998 -
........
14 May, 999; End date: 01 September, 999) .......123
1 1
15. Time of arrival and duration of stay of the adult Cleridae collected
from pig carcasses in sunny and shaded areas at Glenlea
Research Station. The slash marks denote the winter period (//).
(Start date: 30 June, 1998; Winter period: 01 October, 1998 - 14
1999)
May, 1999; End date: 01 September, ....125
16.Time of arrival and duration of stay of the adult Nitidulidae and
Dermestidae collected from pig carcasses in sunny and shaded
areas at Glenlea Research Station. The slash marks denote the
winter period (/4. (Stad date: 30 June, 1998; Winter period: 01
October, 1998 - 14May,1999; End date: 01 September, 1999) .....127
17. Time of arrival and duration of stay of the adult Trogidae and
Geotrupidae collected from pig carcasses in sunny and shaded
areas at Glenlea Research Station. The slash marks denote the
winter period (//). (Start date: 30 June, 1998; Winter period: 01
October, 1998 - 14May,1999; End date: 01 September, 1999).....129
IX