Saprophages

SAPROPHAGES (from the Greek sapros—rotten, and phagein—to eat), animals that live at the expense of decaying organic substances, which serve for them either only as food or simultaneously as a habitat. To the first category can be assigned all animals that feed on carrion (for example, jackals); to the second—various small and even almost microscopically small animals that find optimal living conditions for themselves in decomposing corpses (saprozoans). Living here and feeding on decaying tissues, saprophages, through their vital activity, contribute to accelerating the destruction of the corpse. From this point of view, saprophages play a positive role in a sanitary-hygienic regard. Such are, for example, the larvae of blowflies and flesh flies, various small mites, certain beetles, and finally, roundworms of the genus Rhabditis and many others. Saprophages are of significant interest in a forensic-medical regard. It is important to note that at different stages of corpse decomposition, its saprophage fauna changes somewhat. Therefore, by the character of the saprophage fauna, it is sometimes possible to judge the time since death of the person whose corpse is undergoing examination. A distinction is made between permanent and accidental corpse fauna. The first to attack a fresh corpse are the flies Musca domestica (housefly), Muscina stabulans, and various species of Calliphora—C. vomitoria, C. erythrocephala, and others. Upon the beginning of decomposition, the corpse is colonized by the larvae of the blowfly Lucilia, as well as Sarcophaga and the flesh fly Cynomyia mortuorum. Among beetles, the corpse is utilized by burying beetles—Necrophorus, Silpha, and Staphylinus. In the stage of adipocere formation, the beetles Dermestes (hide beetle), Saprinus, Trox, and, among butterflies, the caterpillars of the grease moth Aglossa pinguinalis (which also live in oil, lard, and fat) live on the corpse. In the stage of caseous decomposition of the corpse, the larvae of the cheese fly Piophila casei and P. petasionis can be found in it, as well as the beetles Corynetes coeruleus, Anobium minutum, and other species. Then, on the corpse, one encounters the larvae of the flies Thyreophora, Lonchaea, Ophyra, and Phora, and among beetles—the larvae of burying beetles: Necrophorus humator, N. fossor, clown beetles—Hister cadaverinus, H. foedatus, saprinid beetles—Saprinus rotundatus, and others. Finally, in the dried remains of the corpse, mites can live, such as Uropoda nummularia, Trachynotus cadaverinus, Glyciphagus cursor, G. spinipes, Tyroglyphus siro, Aleurobius farinae (see Granary pests), Carpoglyphus, Coepophagus, and among insects—the caterpillars of the butterflies Aglossa, Tineola biselliella, Tinea pellionella (common clothes moth), and the larvae of beetles—Attagenus pellio, Anthrenus museorum, Necrobia, Tenebrio molitor, Ptinus, and others. The fauna of corpses appears on the latter given the possibility of access by insects and mites to the corpse and the laying of eggs upon it.