Post Mortem Artifacts by Pheidole pallidula (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) on a Human Corpse and an Overview of the Genus Pheidole in Forensic Entomology
Simple Summary
Abstract
1. Introduction
2. Case Report
3. Bibliographic Methods
4. Results and Discussion
4.1. Species Identification
4.2. Case Interpretation and Literature Overview
| Species/Subspecies | Corpses/Traps | Reported Behavior | Environment | Country | References | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pheidole pallidula | Pig | Necrophilous | Rural | Spain | [38] |
| Chicken carcass (trap) | NR | Rural | Spain | [39,40] | ||
| Pig | NR | Forest, maquis, bush | Spain | [41] | ||
| Human | Necrophagous | Suburban | Italy | Present report | ||
| 2 | Pheidole alienata | Pig | Omnivorous | Forest | Brazil | [14] |
| 3 | Pheidole bicarinata vinelandica | Pig | Predator | Forest | United States (South Carolina) | [42] |
| 4 | Pheidole crassinoda | Impala | Sarcophagous, saprophagous, predator, opportunistic | Forest (woodland savannah) | South Africa | [43] |
| 5 | Pheidole dentata | Swine, Deer, American alligator | NR | Forest | United States (Louisiana) | [44] |
| Dog | Omnivorous | Forest, pasture | United States (Tennessee) | [45] | ||
| Chick (trap) | NR | Forest | United States (Florida) | [46] | ||
| 6 | Pheidole fallax | Pig | Omnivorous | Forest | Brazil | [14] |
| 7 | Pheidole fervida | Pig | Predator | Suburban | South Korea | [47] |
| Rabbit | NR | Suburban | South Korea | [48] | ||
| 8 | Pheidole flavens | Pig | Predator | Forest | Brazil | [14] |
| 9 | Pheidole funkikoensis | Pig liver (trap) | Necrophilous | Forest | Taiwan | [49] |
| 10 | Pheidole hyatti | Pig | NR | Urban | Mexico | [50] |
| 11 | Pheidole indica | Pig liver (trap) | Necrophilous | Urban | Taiwan | [49] |
| Pig | NR | Suburban | India | [51] | ||
| 12 | Pheidole liengmei | Impala | Sarcophagous, saprophagous, predator, opportunistic | Forest (woodland savannah) | South Africa | [43] |
| 13 | Pheidole longipes | Macaque | NR | Forest | Malaysia | [52] |
| 14 | Pheidole megacephala | Pig liver (trap) | Necrophilous | Forest and urban | Taiwan | [49] |
| Rat, macaque, rabbit | NR | Urban forest | Malaysia | [53] | ||
| Rat, macaque | Necrophagous, predator | Urban forest | Malaysia | [12] | ||
| Rabbit | Necrophagous and predator | Urban | Egypt | [54] | ||
| Rabbit | Predator | Rural | Kingdom of Saudi Arabia | [55] | ||
| Rabbit | NR | Rural | Kingdom of Saudi Arabia | [56] | ||
| Cat | Predator | Suburban | United States (Hawaii) | [57] | ||
| Cow liver, grazing chicken, chicken, sardine | Necrophagous and predator | Urban | Iraq | [58] | ||
| 15 | Pheidole midas | Pig | Predator | Forest | Brazil | [14] |
| 16 | Pheidole moerens | Chick (trap) | NR | Forest | United States (Florida) | [46] |
| 17 | Pheidole nodus (syn. Pheidole formosensis; syn. Pheidole noda) | Mouse (trap) | Necrophilous | Forest, meadow | Taiwan | [59] |
| Pig liver (trap) | Necrophilous | Forest and urban | Taiwan | [49] | ||
| 18 | Pheidole parva (syn. Pheidole sauteri) | Mouse (trap) | Necrophilous | Not reported | Taiwan | [59] |
| 19 | Pheidole pieli | Mouse (trap) | Necrophilous | Not reported | Taiwan | [59] |
| 20 | Pheidole radoszkowskii | Pig | Omnivorous | Forest | Brazil | [14] |
| Rat * | Necrophagous and predator | Urban | Brazil | [36] | ||
| Pig | NR | Urban | Brazil | [60] | ||
| 21 | Pheidole ryukyuensis | Pig liver (trap) | Necrophilous | Urban | Taiwan | [49] |
| 22 | Pheidole sitarches | American alligator | NR | Forest | United States (Louisiana) | [44] |
| 23 | Pheidole synarmata | Pig | NR | Urban | Brazil | [60] |
| Pig | NR | Urban forest | Brazil | [61] |
| Animal Corpses/Traps | Reported Behavior | Environment | Country | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dog | Omnivorous | Forest, pasture | United States (Tennessee) | [45] |
| Fish (trap) Chicken gizzard (trap) | Necrophagous and predator | Forest | Brazil | [62] |
| Pig | NR | Forest | Brazil | [63] |
| Pig | Omnivorous (necrophagous and predator) | Rural | Brazil | [64] |
| Pig | Omnivorous | Urban | Colombia | [65] |
| Pig | Necrophagous and predator | Urban | Nigeria | [66] |
| Pig | Predator | Rural | Ghana | [67] |
| Pig | NR | Rural | Italy | [35] |
| Pig | Necrophagous and predator | Rural | Brazil | [68] |
| Rabbit | NR | Urban | Zimbabwe | [69] |
| Rabbit ** | Necrophagous and predator | Rural | Brazil | [37] |
| Rat | NR | Rural | Brazil | [70] |
| Rat | NR | Urban | Cameroon | [71] |
| Rat, macaque, rabbit | Predator | Forest | Malaysia | [53] |
| Vertebrates | Unclear | NR | Australia | [32] |
Author Contributions
Funding
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
- Smith, K.G.V. A Manual of Forensic Entomology; Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History): London, UK, 1986. [Google Scholar]
- Gibb, H.; Dunn, R.R.; Sanders, N.J.; Grossman, B.F.; Photakis, M.; Abril, S.; Agosti, D.; Andersen, A.N.; Angulo, E.; Armbrecht, I.; et al. A global database of ant species abundances. Ecology 2017, 98, 883–884. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Campobasso, C.P.; Marchetti, D.; Introna, F.; Colonna, M.F. Postmortem artifacts made by ants and the effect of ant activity on decompositional rates. Am. J. Forensic Pathol. 2009, 30, 84–87. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Byrd, J.H.; Castner, J.L. Forensic Entomology: The Utility of Arthropods in Legal Investigations, 2nd ed.; CRC Press: Boca Raton, FL, USA, 2010. [Google Scholar]
- Grasso, D.A.; Mori, A.; Le Moli, F. Chemical communication during foraging in the harvesting ant Messor capitatus (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Insectes Sociaux 1998, 45, 85–96. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Grasso, D.A.; Mori, A.; Le Moli, F. Recruitment and trail communication in two species of Messor ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Ital. J. Zool. 1999, 66, 373–378. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Visicchio, R.; Mori, A.; Grasso, D.A.; Castracani, C.; Le Moli, F. Glandular sources of recruitment, trail, and propaganda semiochemicals in the slave-making ant Polyergus rufescens. Ethol. Ecol. Evol. 2001, 13, 361–372. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Scarano, F.; Giannetti, D.; Trenti, F.; Giacomazzi, F.; Vigna, J.; Guella, G.; Grasso, D.A.; Haase, A. Trail pheromone identification in the ant Crematogaster scutellaris. Sci. Rep. 2024, 14, 7883. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Bonacci, T.; Zetto Brandmayr, T.; Brandmayr, P.; Vercillo, V.; Porcelli, F. Successional patterns of the insect fauna on a pig carcass in southern Italy and the role of Crematogaster scutellaris (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) as a carrion invader. Entomol. Sci. 2011, 14, 125–132. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Bonacci, T.; Benecke, M.; Scapoli, C.; Vercillo, V.; Pezzi, M. Severe post mortem damages by ants on a human corpse. Rom. J. Leg. Med. 2019, 27, 269–271. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Ramón-Cabrera, G.; Donoso, D.A. The role of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in forensic entomology. Rev. Ecuat. Med. Y Cienc. Biológicas 2015, 36, 19–26. [Google Scholar]
- Ahmad, A.; Omar, B. A report of Pheidole megacephala (Fabricius 1793) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) colonisation on small and medium-sized mammal carcasses: Its implications in forensic entomology. Int. J. Trop. Insect Sci. 2023, 43, 1601–1623. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Bonacci, T.; Vercillo, V. Outdoor post-mortem bite injuries by Tapinoma nigerrimum (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) on a human corpse: Case report. J. Forensic Leg. Med. 2015, 33, 5–8. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Paula, M.C.; Morishita, G.M.; Cavarson, C.H.; Gonçalves, C.R.; Tavares, P.R.A.; Mendonça, A.; Súarez, Y.R.; Antonialli-Junior, W.F. Action of ants on vertebrate carcasses and blow flies (Calliphoridae). J. Med. Entomol. 2016, 53, 1283–1291. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Pezzi, M.; Benecke, M.; Vercillo, V.; Marino, F.; Marino, S.; Scapoli, C.; Marchetti, M.G.; Leis, M.; Bonacci, T. Histochemical and immunohistochemical investigations on postmortem injuries caused by ants and literature review. Rom. J. Leg. Med. 2020, 28, 223–228. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Bugelli, V.; Forni, D.; Bassi, L.A.; Di Paolo, M.; Marra, D.; Lenzi, S.; Toni, C.; Giusiani, M.; Domenici, R.; Gherardi, M.; et al. Forensic entomology and the estimation of the minimum time since death in indoor cases. J. Forensic Sci. 2015, 60, 525–531. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Seifert, B. Inconvenient hyperdiversity–the traditional concept of “Pheidole pallidula” includes four cryptic species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Soil Org. 2016, 88, 1–17. [Google Scholar]
- Seifert, B. The Ants of Central and North Europe; Lutra Verlags–und Vertriebsgesellschaft: Tauer, Germany, 2018; p. 408. [Google Scholar]
- Lebas, C.; Galkowski, C.; Blatrix, R.; Wegnez, P. Ants of Britain and Europe: A Photographic Guide; Bloomsbury Wildlife: London, UK, 2019; p. 415. [Google Scholar]
- Lenoir, A.; Perdereau, E.; Dupont, S.; Libbrecht, R.; Picquet, P.; Galkowski, C.; Mercier, J.-L. The tropical ant Pheidole megacephala (Fabricius, 1793) in France and discrimination with the local Pheidole pallidula (Nylander, 1849). Naturae 2025, 4, 35–43. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Eubanks, M.D.; Lin, C.; Tarone, A.M. The role of ants in vertebrate carrion decomposition. Food Webs 2019, 18, e00109. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Wilson, E.O. Pheidole in the New World: A Dominant, Hyperdiverse Ant Genus; Harvard University Press: Cambridge, MA, USA, 2003; p. 794. [Google Scholar]
- Mei, M. Hymenoptera Formicidae (con diagnosi di due nuove specie). Nat. Sicil. 1995, 19, 753–772. [Google Scholar]
- Schifani, E.; Alicata, A. Exploring the myrmecofauna of Sicily: Thirty-two new ant species recorded, including six new to Italy and many new aliens (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Pol. J. Entomol. 2018, 87, 323–348. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Schifani, E. The new checklist of the Italian Fauna: Formicidae. Biogeographia 2022, 37, ucl006. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Limonta, L.; Colombo, M. Record of Pheidole megacephala (F.), Pheidole nodus Smith and Tetramorium bicarinatum Nylander (Hymenoptera Formicidae), tropical species, in nursery imported plants. Boll. Zool. Agrar. Bachic. 2003, 35, 287–289. [Google Scholar]
- Jucker, C.; Rigato, F.; Regalin, R. Exotic ant records from Italy (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Boll. Zool. Agrar. Bachic. 2008, 40, 99–107. [Google Scholar]
- Payne, J.A. A summer carrion study of the baby pig Sus scrofa Linnaeus. Ecology 1965, 46, 592–602. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Forbes, S.L.; Carter, D.O. Processes and Mechanisms of Death and Decomposition of Vertebrate Carrion; CRC Press: Boca Raton, FL, USA, 2015. [Google Scholar]
- Erkol, Z.; Hösükler, E. Postmortem animal attacks on human corpses. In Post Mortem Examination and Autopsy—Current Issues from Death to Laboratory Analysis; Doga, K.H., Ed.; InTechOpen: London, UK, 2018. [Google Scholar]
- de Souza, A.A.D.F.; de Rosa, C.T.A.; Arantes, L.C.; Pujol-Luz, J.R. Artifacts caused by leaf-cutting ants of the genus Atta (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): Postmortem bite injuries and the tearing of clothes. J. Forensic Sci. 2020, 65, 1012–1015. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Fuller, M.E. The Insect Inhabitants of Carrion: A Study in Animal Ecology; Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, H.J. Green, Government Printer: Melbourne, Australia, 1934; p. 62. [Google Scholar]
- Bolton, B. An Online Catalog of the Ants of the World. 2025. Available online: https://antcat.org (accessed on 22 November 2025).
- Oberski, J.T.; Griebenow, Z.H.; Adams, R.M.M.; Andersen, A.; Andrade-Silva, J.; Barden, P.; Borowiec, M.; Brady, S.; Casadei-Ferreira, A.; Csősz, S.; et al. Ant systematics: Past, present, and future. Insect Syst. Divers. 2025, 9, 11. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Bonacci, T.; Mendicino, F.; Bonelli, D.; Carlomagno, F.; Curia, G.; Scapoli, C.; Pezzi, M. Investigations on arthropods associated with decay stages of buried animals in Italy. Insects 2021, 12, 311. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- de Sales, T.A.; Daemon, E.; Lopes, J.F.S. Necrophagous or predators? The role of Pheidole radoszkowskii Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) on Rattus norvegicus (Berkenhout) carcasses (Rodentia: Muridae). J. Nat. Hist. 2015, 50, 971–974. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- de Souza, A.S.B.; Kirst, F.D.; Krüger, R.F. Insects of forensic importance from Rio Grande do Sul state in southern Brazil. Rev. Bras. Entomol. 2008, 52, 641–646. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef][Green Version]
- Castillo Miralbés, M. Estudio de la entomofauna asociada a cadáveres en el alto Aragón (España). Monogr. Soc. Entomológica Aragonesa 2002, 6, 1–94. [Google Scholar]
- Martínez, M.D.; Arnaldos, M.I.; Romera, E.; García, M.D. Los Formicidae (Hymenoptera) de una comunidad sarcosaprófaga en un ecosistema mediterráneo. Ann. Biol. 2002, 24, 33–44. [Google Scholar]
- Arnaldos, M.I.; Romera, E.; Presa, J.J.; Luna, A.; García, M.D. Studies on seasonal arthropod succession on carrion in the southeastern Iberian Peninsula. Int. J. Leg. Med. 2004, 118, 197–205. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Pérez-Marcos, M.; López-Gallego, E.; Arnaldos, M.I.; Martínez-Ibáñez, D.; García, M.D. Formicidae (Hymenoptera) community in corpses at different altitudes in a semiarid wild environment in the southeast of the Iberian Peninsula. Entomol. Sci. 2020, 23, 297–310. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Payne, J.A.; Mason, W.R.M. Hymenoptera associated with pig carrion. Proc. Entomol. Soc. Wash 1971, 73, 132–141. [Google Scholar]
- Braack, L.E.O. Arthropods associated with carcasses in the northern Kruger National Park. S. Afr. J. Wildl. Res. 1986, 16, 91–98. [Google Scholar]
- Watson, E.J.; Carlton, C.E. Insect succession and decomposition of wildlife carcasses during fall and winter in Louisiana. J. Med. Entomol. 2005, 42, 193–203. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Reed, H.B. A study of dog carcass communities in Tennessee, with special reference to the insects. Am. Midl. Nat. 1958, 59, 213–245. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Scott, M.P.; Traniello, J.F.A.; Fetherston, I.A. Competition for prey between ants and burying beetles (Nicrophorus spp): Differences between Northern and Southern temperate sites. Psyche 1987, 94, 325–332. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Park, S.-H.; Moon, T.-Y. Positive and negative impact to decomposition of pig cadavers by ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) at the Islet Yeongdo in Busan, South Korea. Entomol. Res. 2020, 50, 124–127. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Park, S.-H.; Moon, T.-Y. Forensic implication of cadaveric behaviors of the Japanese pavement ant (Tetramorium tsushimae Emery) attending to rabbit cadavers. Entomol. Res. 2020, 50, 177–181. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Leong, C.M.; Shelomi, M.; Lin, C.C.; Shiao, S.-F. Necrophilous ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in diverse habitats in Taiwan. Sociobiology 2019, 66, 209–217. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Valdes-Perezgasga, M.T.; Sanchez-Ramos, F.J.; Garcia-Martinez, O.; Anderson, G.S. Arthropods of forensic importance on pig carrion in the Coahuilan semidesert, Mexico. J. Forensic Sci. 2010, 55, 1098–1101. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Bala, M.; Kaur, P. Insect faunal succession on buried piece of pork in the State of Punjab (India): A preliminary study. J. Forensic Res. 2015, 5, 252. [Google Scholar]
- Chen, C.D.; Nazni, W.A.; Lee, H.L.; Hashim, R.; Abdullah, N.A.; Ramli, R.; Lau, K.W.; Heo, C.C.; Goh, T.G.; Izzul, A.A.; et al. A preliminary report on ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) recovered from forensic entomological studies conducted in different ecological habitats in Malaysia. Trop. Biomed. 2014, 31, 381–386. [Google Scholar] [PubMed]
- Azwandi, A.; Nina Keterina, H.; Owen, L.C.; Nurizzati, M.D.; Omar, B. Adult carrion arthropod community in a tropical rainforest of Malaysia: Analysis on three common forensic entomology animal models. Trop. Biomed. 2013, 30, 481–494. [Google Scholar]
- Tantawi, T.I.; El-Kady, E.M.; Greenberg, B.; El-Ghaffar, H.A. Arthropod succession on exposed rabbit carrion in Alexandria, Egypt. J. Med. Entomol. 1996, 33, 566–580. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Shaalan, E.A.; El-Moaty, Z.A.; Abdelsalam, S.; Anderson, G.S. A preliminary study of insect succession in Al-Ahsaa Oasis, in the eastern region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. J. Forensic Sci. 2017, 62, 239–243. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Al-Dakhil, A.A.; Alharbi, S.A. A preliminary investigation of the entomofauna composition of forensically important necrophagous insects in Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah region, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. J. Taibah Univ. Sci. 2020, 14, 1127–1133. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Early, M.; Goff, M.L. Arthropod succession patterns in exposed carrion on the island of O’ahu, Hawaiian Islands, USA. J. Med. Entomol. 1986, 23, 520–531. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Al-Ameri, D.T.; Hamza, A.K.; Alhasan, A.S. Relationship between ants Pheidole megacephala (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and some dead animals tissue. Plant Arch. 2020, 20, 871–874. [Google Scholar]
- Hwang, W. Environmental variables affecting community composition and carcass utilization of necrophagous ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Southern and Northern Taiwan. BioFormosa 2011, 46, 21–31. [Google Scholar]
- Andrade-Silva, J.; Pereira, E.K.C.; Silva, O.; Santos, C.L.C.; Delabie, J.H.C.; Rebêlo, J.M.M. Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) associated with pig carcasses in an urban area. Sociobiology 2015, 62, 527–532. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Pereira, E.K.C.; Andrade-Silva, J.; Silva, O.; Santos, C.L.C.; Moraes, L.S.; Bandeira, M.d.C.A.; Silva, C.R.R.; Rebêlo, J.M.M. Solenopsis saevissima (Smith) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) activity delays vertebrate carcass decomposition. Sociobiology 2017, 64, 369–372. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Moretti, T.C.; Solis, D.R.; Godoy, W.A.C. Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) collected with carrion-baited traps in Southeast Brazil. Open Forensic Sci. J. 2013, 6, 1–5. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef][Green Version]
- Cruz, T.M.; Vasconcelos, S.D. Entomofauna de solo associada à decomposição de carcaça de suíno em um fragmento de Mata Atlântica de Pernambuco, Brasil. Biociências 2006, 14, 193–201. [Google Scholar]
- Viana, G.S.; de Paula, M.C.; de Moura Eulalio, A.D.; dos Santos, P.G.; Lima-Junior, S.E.; Antonialli-Junior, W.F. Formicidae fauna in pig carcasses contaminated by insecticide: Implications for forensic entomology. Rev. Bras. Entomol. 2022, 66, e20210085. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Wolff, M.; Uribe, A.; Ortiz, A.; Duque, P. A preliminary study of forensic entomology in Medellín, Colombia. Forensic Sci. Int. 2001, 120, 53–59. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Ekanem, M.S.; Dike, M.C. Arthropod succession on pig carcasses in Southeastern Nigeria. Pap. Avulsos Zool 2010, 50, 561–570. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Kyerematen, R.A.K.; Boateng, B.A.; Haruna, M.; Eziah, V.Y. Decomposition and insect succession pattern of exposed domestic pig (Sus scrofa L.) carrion. ARPN J. Agric. Biol. Sci. 2013, 8, 756–765. [Google Scholar]
- Gomes, L.; Gomes, G.; Desuó, I.C. A preliminary study of insect fauna on pig carcasses located in sugarcane in winter in south-eastern Brazil. Med. Vet. Entomol. 2009, 23, 155–159. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Mabika, N.; Masendu, R.; Mawera, G. An initial study of insect succession on decomposing rabbit carrions in Harare, Zimbabwe. Asian Pac. J. Trop. Biomed. 2014, 4, 561–565. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Monteiro-Filho, E.L.A.; Penereiro, J.L. Estudo da decomposição e sucessão sobre uma carcaça animal numa área do estado de São Paulo, Brasil. Rev. Bras. Biol. 1987, 47, 289–295. [Google Scholar]
- Feugang Youmessi, F.D.; Bilong Bilong, C.F.; Cherix, D.; Djiéto-Lordon, C. Biodiversity study of arthropods collected on rat carrion in Yaounde, Cameroon: First study on forensic entomology in Central Africa. Int. J. Biosci. 2012, 2, 1–8. [Google Scholar]



Disclaimer/Publisher’s Note: The statements, opinions and data contained in all publications are solely those of the individual author(s) and contributor(s) and not of MDPI and/or the editor(s). MDPI and/or the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to people or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content. |
© 2026 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license.
Share and Cite
Pezzi, M.; Di Biase, E.; Fumo, F.; Bonelli, D.; Mendicino, F.; Carlomagno, F.; Schifani, E.; Grasso, D.A.; Chicca, M.; Vercillo, V.; et al. Post Mortem Artifacts by Pheidole pallidula (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) on a Human Corpse and an Overview of the Genus Pheidole in Forensic Entomology. Insects 2026, 17, 180. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects17020180
Pezzi M, Di Biase E, Fumo F, Bonelli D, Mendicino F, Carlomagno F, Schifani E, Grasso DA, Chicca M, Vercillo V, et al. Post Mortem Artifacts by Pheidole pallidula (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) on a Human Corpse and an Overview of the Genus Pheidole in Forensic Entomology. Insects. 2026; 17(2):180. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects17020180
Chicago/Turabian StylePezzi, Marco, Erica Di Biase, Federica Fumo, Domenico Bonelli, Federica Mendicino, Francesco Carlomagno, Enrico Schifani, Donato A. Grasso, Milvia Chicca, Vannio Vercillo, and et al. 2026. "Post Mortem Artifacts by Pheidole pallidula (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) on a Human Corpse and an Overview of the Genus Pheidole in Forensic Entomology" Insects 17, no. 2: 180. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects17020180
APA StylePezzi, M., Di Biase, E., Fumo, F., Bonelli, D., Mendicino, F., Carlomagno, F., Schifani, E., Grasso, D. A., Chicca, M., Vercillo, V., & Bonacci, T. (2026). Post Mortem Artifacts by Pheidole pallidula (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) on a Human Corpse and an Overview of the Genus Pheidole in Forensic Entomology. Insects, 17(2), 180. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects17020180

