Unearthing Nature's Cleanup Crew: A Comprehensive Review of Beetle Succession on Vertebrate Corpses
Madona Mathew *
Department of Forensic Science, Usha Martin University, Jharkhand, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The study of beetles to criminal or legal cases also comes under Forensic entomology. Entomologists have understood for many years that the beetles found on dead bodies as well as the insects convey a story. Decomposition is a complex ecological process in which various organisms, including insects, play critical roles. Among these insects, beetles (Order Coleoptera) are primary decomposers and are integral to the successional process on vertebrate corpses. Beetles frequently occur in the later phases of the decomposition process, which is crucial for the body's dry bones. They are typically discovered on more decomposed corpses, and scientists have been able to calculate the PMI (Post Mortem Interval) by investigating them. Because the variety of beetles on a body changes through time, it can provide as proof of ecological succession. This paper deals with the biology of beetle succession on the corpse.
This paper explores the ecological significance of beetle succession on vertebrate corpses, focusing on their taxonomic diversity, life histories, and forensic applications. The paper also discusses the potential for beetles to serve as indicators of post-mortem interval (PMI) in forensic investigations.
Keywords: Forensic entomology, forensic importance, PMI, beetles