Decomposing Rabbit Carrion and It’s Associating Insect Fauna in District Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Abstract

            The aim of the current study was to discover the insects associated with decaying rabbit carrions (Oryctolaguscuniculus) used as a model. The study was carried out at Agronomy Research Farm (ARF), The University of Agriculture, Peshawar during 2015-16. Adult insects and larvae were collected at various decomposition stages of the carrions. Samples of the collected larvae were reared to adult stage in the laboratory. Adult insects were killed in killing jar containing cotton swab soaked in Ethyl Acetate. All the insects were identified to species level. The important species in forensic science include the Chrysomyamegacephala(Fabricius) (Calliphoridae: Diptera), Chrysomyarufifacies(Maquart) (Calliphoridae: Diptera), Luciliaillustris(Meigen) (Calliphoridae: Diptera),Luciliaampullacea(Villeneuve) (Calliphoridae: Diptera)andPhormiaregina(Meigen) (Calliphoridae: Diptera), Sarcophagasp (Diptera: Sarcophagidae), Musca domestica Linn. (Diptera: Muscidae), NecrobiarufipesDeg (Cleridae: Copleoptera), Gnathoncus sp. (Histeridae: Coleoptera),Saprinus sp. (Histeridae: Coleoptera), Scarabid sp. ( Scarabidae: Coleoptera), Necrophilarufithorax(Silphidae: Coleoptera), Staphylinid sp. (Staphylinidae: Coleoptera) and Dermestes maculatus (Dermestidae: Coleoptera). Identification of insects was carried out at Entomological Research Laboratory, Department of Entomology, The University of Agriculture, Peshawar, Pakistan. Key characters for each species are discussed and photographs of each species are provided. All the species recorded in the current study are reported for the first time from District Peshawar Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan.