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Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology

Published in:

27-05-2023 | Original Article

A beetle for prosecution: exogenous DNA detection from larval and adult gut of a Neotropical carrion beetle

Authors: Alessandra Santana Batista Toni, José Eduardo Serrão, Verônica Saraiva Fialho

Published in: Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology | Issue 2/2023

Abstract

The use of recovered DNA ingested by necrophagous or hematophagous insects has increased in forensic sciences, mainly with representatives of flies. However, some beetles are also important for medico-legal forensic entomology because they feed on carcasses until advanced decomposition. This study evaluated whether the Neotropical carrion beetle Oxelytrum discicolle (Silphidae) has the potential for the detection of exogenous DNA into the gut. The whole gut or the gut contents were extracted from O. discicolle larvae and adult previously fed on pig carcass. The pig DNA recovery rate was 33.3% in larvae and 25% in adults, indicating that the carrion beetle’s gut may be useful for DNA identification of ingested food. Samples with the whole gut or only gut contents showed the same DNA recovery rate. Exogenous DNA from the whole gut was recovered from samples stored in ethanol at -20 ºC for 11 days, showing that samples of O. discicolle can be stored in the forensic laboratory without loss in DNA recovery rate.

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Title: A beetle for prosecution: exogenous DNA detection from larval and adult gut of a Neotropical carrion beetle
Authors: Alessandra Santana Batista Toni
José Eduardo Serrão
Verônica Saraiva Fialho
Publication date: 27-05-2023
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology / Issue 2/2023
Print ISSN: 1547-769X
Electronic ISSN: 1556-2891
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12024-023-00658-7

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A beetle for prosecution: exogenous DNA detection from larval and adult gut of a Neotropical carrion beetle

Abstract

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