Institute of Experimental Ecology, Biology III, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89069 Ulm, Germany.
Forensic Sci Int. 2011 Oct 10;212(1-3):173-9. doi: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2011.06.009. Epub 2011 Jul 8.
A decaying cadaver emits volatile organic compounds that are used by necrophilous and necrophagous insects in order to find their brood substrate. Although volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are released by carcasses have been identified, little is known about the specific compounds that are used by these insects while searching for a brood substrate. Therefore, we have investigated the chemical ecology involved in the attraction of the necrophagous hide beetle Dermestes maculatus, which feeds as an adult and larva upon decomposing carcasses. Our aims have been to identify the responsible compounds in the odours of the carcass that are important for the attraction of the beetles. Furthermore, we have studied sex- and age-related differences in beetle attraction and tested whether the hide beetle can distinguish between various stages of decomposition by means of the emitted odours. Headspace collection of volatiles released from piglet carcasses (bloated stage, post-bloating stage, advanced decay and dry remains), coupled gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), gas chromatography with electroantennographic detection (GC-EAD) and bioassays were conducted to identify the volatiles responsible for the attraction of the beetles. Freshly emerged male beetles were attracted by the odour of piglets in the post-bloating stage (9 days after death; T(mean) = 27 °C) and the EAD-active compound benzyl butyrate. Statistical analysis revealed a higher relative proportion of benzyl butyrate in the odour bouquet of the post-bloating stage in comparison with the other stages. We therefore conclude that this compound plays an important role in the attraction of hide beetles to carcass odour. This underlines the potential use of D. maculatus for the estimation of the post mortem interval. The decomposition stage at which the female beetles are attracted to the odour of a cadaver remains unknown, as does the nature of this attraction. Pheromones (sexual or aggregation pheromones) might play an essential role correlated with their attraction to carrion and consequently with their attraction to the substrate for mating and ovipositioning.
一具正在腐烂的尸体散发的挥发性有机化合物(VOCs)，被食尸昆虫和食腐昆虫用来寻找它们的幼虫基质。虽然已经确定了尸体释放的挥发性有机化合物(VOCs)，但对于这些昆虫在寻找幼虫基质时使用的特定化合物却知之甚少。因此，我们研究了与食尸皮蠹(Dermestes maculatus)成虫和幼虫以分解尸体为食的吸引相关的化学生态学。我们的目标是确定在尸体气味中对吸引甲虫起重要作用的化合物。此外，我们还研究了雌雄成虫在吸引甲虫方面的年龄相关差异，并测试了食尸皮蠹是否能通过发出的气味来区分不同的分解阶段。对小猪尸体（肿胀阶段、肿胀后阶段、晚期腐烂和干尸）释放的挥发物进行顶空收集，结合气相色谱-质谱联用(GC-MS)、气相色谱-触角电位检测联用(GC-EAD)和生物测定，以确定吸引甲虫的挥发物。刚羽化的雄性甲虫被肿胀后阶段(死后第 9 天；T(mean)=27°C)和活性化合物丁酸苄酯的气味所吸引。统计分析显示，与其他阶段相比，肿胀后阶段的气味中丁酸苄酯的相对比例更高。因此，我们得出结论，这种化合物在吸引皮蠹对尸体气味的作用中起着重要作用。这强调了 D. maculatus 在估计死后间隔时间方面的潜在用途。雌性甲虫被尸体气味吸引的分解阶段尚不清楚，这种吸引力的性质也不清楚。信息素(性信息素或聚集信息素)可能在与它们对腐肉的吸引力以及与交配和产卵基质的吸引力相关的方面起着至关重要的作用。
