Carrion beetles – family Silphidae. Carrion beetles belong to the order Coleoptera, which contains 15 genera and 200 species [1]. Within the Carrion beetle family, Silphidae has two subfamilies; Nicrophorinae, which are primarily found in the Northern Hemisphere and Silphinae, which are distributed worldwide [1]. Adult Silphidae has an average size of about 12 mm. The name “carrion” or “burying” beetles correlates with the carcass-breeding beetle's biological behaviours, in which they lay their eggs in carcasses [1]. Typically they display a bright orange, yellow, or red pattern on their dark back, although some of their backs are all black [2]. These insects have flat flexible bodies and wings (Editors of Encyclopaedia, 2011). Allowing them to squeeze into tight spaces between carcasses, rocks, and soil [2]. These adult beetles and freshly hatched larvae's choice of food is dead and decaying animals, which serve not just as a source of food but also as a shelter during development [2]. Both parents tend to their young and exhibit communal breeding. The male carrion beetle's job in care is to provide protection for the breed and carcass from competitors.
- ^ a b c Pokines, James T.; L'Abbé, Ericka N.; Symes, Steven A. (2023). Manual of Forensic Taphonomy (2nd ed.). 2 Park Square, Milton Parkway, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN: CRC Press. doi:10.4324/9781003171492. ISBN 9780367774592. LCCN 2021026484.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link) - ^ a b c "Carrion beetle | insect | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 2023-04-06.