1Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh11451, Saudi Arabia
2Department of Invertebrates, National Center for Wildlife, Saudi Arabia
*Corresponding Author: F.A. Al-Mekhlafi, Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia, Email: falmekhlafi@ksu.edu.sa
Online published on 1 December, 2023.
Buried carrion can help by forensic investigation cases in determining the post-burial-interval (PBI), movement of the body, or hiding of the crime. The current study aims to determine the succession of ant species on rabbit carcasses buried in an outdoor habitat of the King Saud University, Western Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
In the present study, twelve rabbits were buried at 20 cm and twelve at 40 cm in two different periods. A day prior to the burial, a total of 24 holes measuring 60 × 30 cm were excavated using a short-handled spade. After 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 110 and 120 days, one cadaver from each depth was unearthed.
We have found 8 species of Formicidae in this study. four types at a depth of 20 cm and two types only at a depth of 40 cm in the first period, while two types were found at a depth of 20 cm and one type only at 40 cm in the second period of the experiment. In the first period of the experiment, Cataglyphis holgerseni (Formicinae) and Cardiocondyla sp. (Myrmicinae) were the most prevalent species at depths of 20 cm and 40 cm, respectively; however, in the exposed carcasses, Messor ebeninus (Myrmicinae) predominated in both study periods. While no species dominated the buried bodies in the second phase, the numbers were very few in the second period on buried carcasses. In this study, many Formicidae species that correlate to different stages of corpse decomposition that were previously unknown from buried bodies in Saudi Arabia were recorded. Therefore, it is important and may have consequences for medicolegal issues.
Ants, Buried carcass, Forensic Entomology, Succession
