An illustrated key to and diagnoses of the species of Tenebrionidae (Coleoptera) associated with decaying carcasses in Argentina

ABALLAY, F. H., G.E. FLORES, V.A. SILVESTRO, N.I. ZANETTI Y N.D. CENTENO

Mendoza

Simposio; IV International Tenebrionoidea Symposium; 2015

Besides the dominant coleopteran families Dermestidaeand Cleridae usually employed to perform post-mortem interval (PMI) estimations, species of other families such as Tenebrionidae have frequently been reported inforensic studies. Though less abundant, these species are prevalent indecomposing carcasses. In this study we identified adults of the Tenebrionidae associated mainly to pig and human carcasses located in different areas of Argentina. The greatest number of species is reported to occur in both late decay and dry stages. The objective of this work is to provide anillustrated key of 26 Tenebrionidae species associated with decaying carcasses in Argentina, including diagnoses, habitus photographs and a table of these species detailing the substrate from where they were collected. These 26 Tenebrionidae species registered are grouped into four subfamilies: Alleculinae (one species of Alleculini), Diaperinae (two species of Cripticini), Tenebrioninae (13 species, eightbelonging to the tribe Scotobiini, three of Opatrini, one species from each tribe: Alphitobiini and Tenebrionini),Pimeliinae (10 species, three belonging to the tribe Epitragini, two of Evaniosomini, two of Praociini, one species from each tribe: Trilobocarini, Edrotini and Elenophorini). A discussion ispresented on the potential forensic importance of some species collected on human and pig carcasses.