The Influence of Clothing and Wrapping on Carcass Decomposition and Arthropod Succession: A Winter Study in Central South Africa

Abstract

Clothing and wrapping of a carcass creates an environment which may influence natural decomposition and arthropod succession. Six pig carcasses were divided into three sample groups, each with a clothed carcass wrapped in a sheet and a carcass wrapped but with no clothes. These were sampled daily, or after five and ten days. An additional two pig carcasses, one with no clothes or wrapping, the other with clothes and no wrapping, were also sampled daily as controls. There was a delay in oviposition on the exposed and wrapped carcasses of five and nine days, respectively. During the extended active stage of the decomposition process, there was not a clear successional pattern, possibly due to the lack of competition between the arthropods. Overall the wrapped carcasses retained a higher mass than the exposed carcasses, as they remained moist for a longer period of time. The Diptera species breeding on the carcasses included the Calliphoridae, Lucilia spp., Chrysomya chloropyga and Calliphora vicina, and Sarcophagidae spp. The Coleoptera community was dominated by adult Dermestes maculatus (Dermestidae) and Necrobia rufipes (Cleridae) which were present on the carcasses throughout the trial. During the more advanced stages of decomposition, Thanathopilus micans (Silphidae) larvae, succeeded by D. maculatus larvae, were present.