We present the first report of Nasutitermes guayanae feeding on human bone remains found in an urban area of the municipality of Florencia, Caquetá, Colombia, in the Colombian Amazon piedmont. The record indicates an expansion in the diet of these termites. The observation suggests that the association of N. guayanae with decomposing bodies may be a possible tool for the estimation of postmortem intervals.
KEYWORDS:
bones; forensic entomology; Nasutiterminae; necrophagous insect
| Species | Subfamily | Type of carcass | Local | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nasutitermes guayanae (Holmgren) | Termitidae: Nasutiterminae | Human bones | Florencia, Caquetá, Colombia | This study |
| Nasutitermes callimorphus Matheuus | Termitidae: Nasutiterminae | Canis familiaris | Brazil | Eloi et al. 2020Eloi, I.; de Oliveira, M.H.; Bezerra-Gusmao, M.A. 2020. Carcass consumption by Nasutitermes callimorphus (Blattodea: Isoptera) in highland forests from Brazil. Journal of Threatened Taxa, 12: 16187-16189. |
| Anitermes amifer silvestri | Termitidae: Amitermitinae | Human bones | Brazil | Queiroz et al. 2017Queiroz, R.A.; Soriano, E.P.; Carvalho, M.V.D.; Caldas-Junior, A.F.; Souza, E.H.A.; Coelho-Junior, L.G.T.M.; Campello, R.I.C.; Almeida, A.C.; Farias, R.C.A.P.; Vasconcellos, A. 2017. First forensic records of termite activity on non-fossilized human bones in Brazil. Brazilian Journal of Biology, 77: 127-131. |
| Nasutitermes corniges (Motschulsky) | Termitidae | Human bones | Brazil | Queiroz et al. 2017Queiroz, R.A.; Soriano, E.P.; Carvalho, M.V.D.; Caldas-Junior, A.F.; Souza, E.H.A.; Coelho-Junior, L.G.T.M.; Campello, R.I.C.; Almeida, A.C.; Farias, R.C.A.P.; Vasconcellos, A. 2017. First forensic records of termite activity on non-fossilized human bones in Brazil. Brazilian Journal of Biology, 77: 127-131. |
| Microcerotermes indistinctus Hagen | Termitidae: Amitermitinae | Human bones | Brazil | Queiroz et al. 2017Queiroz, R.A.; Soriano, E.P.; Carvalho, M.V.D.; Caldas-Junior, A.F.; Souza, E.H.A.; Coelho-Junior, L.G.T.M.; Campello, R.I.C.; Almeida, A.C.; Farias, R.C.A.P.; Vasconcellos, A. 2017. First forensic records of termite activity on non-fossilized human bones in Brazil. Brazilian Journal of Biology, 77: 127-131. |
| Rhynchotermes nasutissimus (Silvestri) | Termitidae: Syntermitinae | Rat | Brazil | Prestes et al. 2014Prestes, C.A. Tepedino, K.P.; Kosmann, C.; Pujol-Luz, J.R. 2014. First record of Rhynchotermes nasutissimus (Silvestri) (Isoptera: Syntermitinae) associated with rat carrion in Brasília, Brazil. EntomoBrasilis, 7: 58-61. |
| Trinervitermes trinervoides (Sjöstedt) | Termitidae: Nasutitermitinae | Gallus domesticus, Ovis aries, bovid bones | Sterkfontein Valley, South Africa | Backwell et al. 2012Backwell, L.R.; Parkinson, A.H.; Roberts, E.M.; d’Errico, F.; Huchet, J.B. 2012. Criteria for identifying bone modification by termites in the fossil record. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 338: 72-87. |
| Unknown | Unknown | Human bones | Huaca de Luna, Peru | Huchet et al. 2011Huchet, J.B.; Deverly, D.; Gutierrez, B.; Chauchat, C. 2011. Taphonomic evidence of a human skeleton gnawed by termites in a Moche-Civilisation grave at Huaca de la Luna, Peru. International Journal of Osteoarchaeology, 21: 92-102. |
| Reticulitermes sp. | Rhinotermitidae | Pig carrion | Uyo, Nigéria | Ekanem and Dike 2010Ekanem, M.S.; Dike, M.C. 2010. Arthropod succession on pig carcasses in Southeastern Nigeria. Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia, 50: 562-570. |
| Unknown | Termitidae | Rat carrion | Caracas, Venezuela | Velásquez 2008Velásquez, Y. 2008. A checklist of arthropods associated with rat carrion in a montane locality of northern Venezuela. Forensic Science International, 174: 67−69. |
| Odontotermes sp. | Termitidae: Macrotermitinae | Grant’s gazelle (also hooves) | Serengueti, Tanzania | Freymann et al. 2007Freymann, B.P.; Viser, S.N.; Mayemba, E.P.; Olff, H. 2007. Termites of the genus Odontotermes are optionally keratophagous. Ecotropica, 13: 143-147. |
| Unknown | Unknown | Human fossil | Laetoli, Tanzania | Kaiser 2000Kaiser, T.M. 2000. Proposed fossil insect modification to fossil mammalian bone from Plio- Pleistocene hominid-bearing deposits of Laetoli (Northern Tanzania). Entomological Society of America, 93: 693-700. |
| Unknown | Unknown | Elephants and buffalo bones | Zaire, Angola | Tappen 1994Tappen, M. 1994. Bone weathering in the tropical rain forest. Journal of Archaeological Science, 21: 667-673. |
| Mastotermes darwiniensis (Froggatt) | Termitidae: Macrotermitinae | Elephants bones | Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe | Haynes 1991Haynes, G. 1991. Mammoths, mastodonts and elephants. Biology, behavior and the fossil record. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 413p. |
| Pseudacanthotermes militaris (Hagen) | Mastotermitidae | Elephant bones | Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe | Haynes 1991Haynes, G. 1991. Mammoths, mastodonts and elephants. Biology, behavior and the fossil record. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 413p. |
| Nasutitermes carnarvonensis (Hill) | Termitidae: Nasutitermitinae | Human bones | Carnarvon Region, Australia | Wylie et al. 1987Wylie, F.R.; Walsh, G.L.; Yule, R.A. 1987. Insect damage to aboriginal relics at burial and rock-art sites near Carnarvon in Central Queensland. Journal of the Australian Entomological Society, 26: 335−345. |
| Coptotermes acinaciformis (Froggatt) | Rhinotermitidae | Recent and fossil mammal bones | Laboratory experiment | Watson and Abbey 1986Watson, J.A.L.; Abbey, H.M. 1986. The effects of termites (Isoptera) on bone: some archeological implications. Sociobiology, 11: 245−254. |
| Nautitermes nigriceps (Haldeman) | Termitidae: Nasutitermitinae | Boa, agouti, three-toed sloth, turtle | Barro Colorado, Panama | Thorne and Kimsey 1983Thorne, B.L.; Kimsey, R.B. 1983. Attraction of Neotropical Nasutitermes termites to carrion. Biotropica, 15: 295-296. |
| Nautitermes nigriceps (Haldeman) | Termitidae: Nasutitermitinae | Boa, agouti, three-toed sloth, turtle | Barro Colorado, Panama | Thorne and Kimsey 1983Thorne, B.L.; Kimsey, R.B. 1983. Attraction of Neotropical Nasutitermes termites to carrion. Biotropica, 15: 295-296. |
| Odontotermes zambesiensis (Sjöstedt) | Termitidae: Macrotermitinae | Elephant cartilages and ligaments | Tsavo, Kenia | Coe 1978Coe, M. 1978. The decomposition of elephant carcasses in the Tsavo (East) National Park, Kenya. Journal of Arid Environments, 1: 71-86. |
| Unknown | Unknown | Cow jaw bones | Amboseli National Park, Kenia | Behrensmeyer 1978Behrensmeyer, A.K. 1978. Taphonomic and ecologic informations from bone weathering. Paleobiology, 4/2: 150−162. |
| Unknown | Unknown | Human bones | Queensland, Australia | Wood 1976Wood, W.B. 1976. The skeletal material from the Brooloo Range and Rocky Hole Creek burial sites. Archaeology and Physical Anthropology in Oceania, 11: 175−185. |
| Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki | Rhinotermitidae | Human bones | China | Light 1929Light, S.F. 1929. Present status of our knowledge of the termites of China. Lingnan Science Journal, 7: 581-600. |
| Unknown | Unknown | Human bones | Ancient Nubia, Egypt | Derry 1911Derry, D.E. 1911. Damage done to skulls and bones by termites. Nature, 86: 245-246. |
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