Abstract
Knowing the importance of participation by insects at cadaverous decomposition processes, and the limited use of the family Formicidae in criminal investigations, this study aims to record the foraging activity of four genera of ants in carcasses of birds and mammals. Observations occurred accidentally in two locations in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. In total, seven species of ants foraging in eight vertebrate carcasses were recorded. In addition, the study reported for the first time the presence of Wasmannia in carcasses in Brazil.
Highlights
The death of an organism is followed by a process of deterioration which, aided by decomposers, allows the cycling of nutrients and incorporates the organism’s remains to the substrate (Oliveira-Costa, 2008)
In December 2014, a juvenile rufous-bellied thrush [Turdus rufiventris (Vieillot)] carcass in the early stages of decomposition was recorded showing ants of the Camponotus rufipes (Fabricius) species (Table 1); the bird had fallen from its nest during a storm in the night, and at the beginning of the following morning the ants were already foraging on the carcass, which lasted two days
Ant foraging in carcasses is still poorly known and related in literature, which justifies the first record of Wasmannia for Brazil in this study
Summary
The death of an organism is followed by a process of deterioration which, aided by decomposers, allows the cycling of nutrients and incorporates the organism’s remains to the substrate (Oliveira-Costa, 2008). In December 2014, a juvenile rufous-bellied thrush [Turdus rufiventris (Vieillot)] carcass in the early stages of decomposition was recorded showing ants of the Camponotus rufipes (Fabricius) species (Table 1); the bird had fallen from its nest during a storm in the night, and at the beginning of the following morning the ants were already foraging on the carcass, which lasted two days. After this period, the ants abandoned the carcass, which was made entirely by bones. These ants were present on the carcass for a whole day, being succeeded by S. saevissima, which buried the bird remains (and further agreeing with the typical behavior described for the species) (Table 1)
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