Effect of temperature on the development of carrion beetle Silpha rugosa (Linnaeus, 1758) (Coleoptera: Silphidae) in Algeria

Abstract

Most forensic entomology researches were conducted on Diptera, because they are the first scavenger insects that reach a dead body. Coleoptera are often overlooked. Yet the beetles can also have a significant role in the determination of the postmortem interval (PMI). At present, some researchers are interested in beetles, in a forensic context to develop new bio-indicators, other than Diptera. In this work we studied the life cycle of the carrion beetle Silpha rugosa (Linnaeus, 1758), the species was put in breeding following two different temperatures, one was put in the conditions of the laboratory (23 °C), the other one in a steam room settled in an equal relatively constant temperature (26 °C). The results revealed that the duration of development of S. rugosa is shorter under 26 °C than under 23 °C. This study has allowed us to see the influence of temperature on the progress of various stages of S. rugosa development. This information would be useful to determine the postmortem interval (PMI) in Algeria.