Sains Malaysiana 39(6)(2010): 921–926

Insect Succession Associated with a Hanging Pig Carcass Placed in an Oil Palm Plantation in Malaysia

(Penyesaran Serangga Bersekutu dengan Bangkai Khinzir Tergantung di dalam Ladang Kelapa Sawit di Malaysia)

Heo Chong Chin¹, Sallehudin Sulaiman¹, Hidayatulfathi Othman¹, John Jeffery², Hiromu Kurahashi³ & Baharudin Omar* ¹

¹Department of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz

50300 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

²Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine

University of Malaya, 50600 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

³International Department of Dipterology

Hikawadai 1-2-21, Higashikurume City, Tokyo 203-0004, Japan

Received: 10 October 2009 / Accepted: 12 March 2010

ABSTRACT

This study was carried out in an oil palm plantation in Tanjung Sepat, Selangor in September 2007 by using pigs (Sus scrofa L.) as a carcass model in a forensic entomological research. A 2.5 month old pig (10 kg) which died naturally was hanged on a palm tree to observe the insect succession and decomposition stages. Observation was made for 16 days; one afternoon visit per day and all climatological data were recorded. On the first day, adult muscids of Ophyra spinigera Stein and Musca domestica L. were observed, however no blowfly (Calliphoridae) activities were sighted. Fly eggs wer seen on the second day on both sides of the face, inside nostrils and genitourinary area. Adults of Chrysomya megacephala Fabricius and Chrysomya rufifacies (Macquart) congregated on the head and anal areas. Adult flies and maggots (first and second instars) were observed in the mouth and anus of the pig on the third day of hanging. Adult yellow jackets (Vespidae) and spiders (Arachnida) were found preying on some adult flies. Rove beetles (Staphilinidae) were also discovered on the pig carcass. Only a few ants (Formicidae) were sighted. Maggot masses were found in eye orbits, neck, and genital organs on the fourth day of hanging and some maggots were seen falling down to the ground. The dominant maggot species identified on this day was Ch. megacephala. On the sixth day, the head, neck, and anus were in the stage of active decay. Maggots of Ch. rufifacies were abundant on the seventh day and was the dominant species. On day eight the carcass fell onto the ground. Chrysomya rufifacies maggots were found underneath the pig carcass and they started to migrate and pupated under the soil. On the tenth day, third instar Op. spinigera maggots were found under the carcass. The rate of carcass decomposition slowed down and became stable from tenth day onwards to the sixteenth day of decomposition. Thereafter, most of the remaining parts of the body remained dried and devoid of any insects.

Keywords: Chrysomya spp; forensic entomology; hanging pig carcass; insect succession; oil palm plantation

ABSTRAK

Kajian ini dilakukan di dalam sebuah ladang kelapa sawit di Tanjung Sepat, Selangor pada bulan September 2007 dengan menggunakan bangkai khinzir (Sus scrofa L.) sebagai model haiwan dalam kajian entomologi forensik. Khinzir berumur 2.5 bulan (10 kg) yang mati semulajadi telah digantung di atas pokok kelapa sawit untuk memerhatikan penyesaran serangga dan peringkat pereputan. Pemerhatian dilakukan selama 16 hari dengan satu lawatan setiap hari ke tapak kajian. Semua data klimatologi telah direkodkan. Pada hari pertama, lalat dewasa muscid, Ophyra spinigera Stein dan Musca domestica L. telah diperhatikan pada bangkai khinzir. Aktiviti lalat langau (Calliphoridae) tidak dapat diperhatikan. Telur lalat mula dijumpai pada hari kedua di kedua-dua belah pipi, lubang hidung dan kawasan genitourinari bangkai khinzir. Lalat dewasa Chrysomya megacephala Fabricius dan Chrysomya rufifacies (Macquart) berkumpul di kepala dan kawasan anus. Pada hari ketiga, lalat dan larvanya (instar pertama dan kedua) diperhatikan berkumpul di dalam rongga mulut dan anus. Tebuan belang kuning (Vespidae) dan labah-labah (Arachnida) diperhatikan sebagai pemangsa kepada lalat dewasa. Kumbang (Staphilinidae) juga dijumpai pada bangkai khinzir. Hanya segelintir semut (Formicidae) merangkak di atas bangkai. Longgokan larva mula kelihatan di orbit mata, leher dan organ genitalia pada hari keempat dan terdapat larva jatuh dari bangkai ke atas tanah. Spesies larva lalat yang dominan pada peringkat ini adalah Ch. megacephala. Pada hari keenam, kepala, leher dan organ genital telah memasuki pringkat pereputan aktif. Larva Ch. rufifacies pula menjadi larva dominan pada hari ketujuh. Pada hari kelapan, bangkai khinzir telah jatuh ke atas tanah. Larva Ch. rufifacies dijumpai di bawah bangkai khinzir dan mula bermigrasi ke bawah tanah untuk proses pembentukan pupa. Pada hari kesepuluh, larva peringkat ketiga Op. spinigera juga dijumpai di bawah bangkai. Kadar pereputan bangkai menjadi lambat dan stabil dari hari kesepuluh sehingga hari ke-16. Kebanyakan tisu menjadi kering dan tiada serangga diperhatikan lagi selepas itu.

Kata kunci: Bangkai khinzir tergantung; Chrysomya spp.; entomologi forensic; ladang kelapa sawit; penyesaran serangga

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*Corresponding author; email: bahar@medic.ukm.my