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

By

Aballay, Fernando H.
Arriagada, Gerardo
Flores, Gustavo E.
Centeno, Néstor D.

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2013

Original Publication

ZooKeys

Volume

261

Pages

61-84

Subjects

Argentina , carcasses , forensic , Histeridae , key , Saprininae

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.261.4226

 

Abstract

A key to 16 histerid species associated with decaying carcasses in Argentina is presented, including diagnoses and habitus photographs for these species. This article provides a table of all species associated with carcasses, detailing the substrate from which they were collected and geographical distribution by province. All 16 Histeridae species registered are grouped into three subfamilies: Saprininae (twelve species of Euspilotus Lewis and one species of Xerosaprinus Wenzel), Histerinae (one species of Hololepta Paykull and one species of Phelister Marseul) and Dendrophilinae (one species of Carcinops Marseul). Two species are new records for Argentina: Phelister rufinotus Marseul and Carcinops troglodytes (Paykull). A discussion is presented on the potential forensic importance of some species collected on human and pig carcasses.