Fauna necrófaga associada à carcaças e zonas fisicamente mapeadas de interesse entomoforense no Estado do Rio Grande do Norte

Abstract

Forensic Entomology understands the use of insects and other arthropods as a relevant tool to elucidate various litigation in the criminal or civil area. This branch of Forensic Science can contribute to the elucidation of crimes involving violent deaths. Therefore, the studies must be performed by locality. In the state of Rio Grande do Norte, there are few works developed in this area, and none on the topics discussed in this study. In this regard, aiming to increase knowledge in the field of forensic entomology, the present work aims to evaluate the ecological succession of arthropods in carcasses, as well as to perform a mapping of physically similar zones throughout the state using a geoprocessing tool. The study was carried out in the rural area of Macaíba’s city, in the state of Rio Grande do Norte. Two female pigs of approximately 10 kg were placed in cages of equal size, approximately one kilometer apart (P1 and P2). The collections occurred during the dry season, in the middle of November, and lasted for 13 days. Throughout the study, 5,438 specimens were collected, between adults and immature, distributed in two orders, Diptera and Coleoptera, and nine families. About the phases of decomposition, there was no fresh phase during the study. The swelling phase lasted a day and a half, the decaying, seven and a half days and the dry / mummification phase, three days. The ecological succession pattern in the carcasses was influenced by the environmental conditions in which they were found. Therefore, the need for studies that minimize the effects of environmental variables on the decomposition process is emphasized.