O potencial de Tenebrio molitor Linnaeus, 1758 (COLEOPTERA: TENEBRIONIDAE) como substituto A dermestes maculatus DeGeer, 1774 (COLEOPTERA: DERMESTIDAE) na preparação de carcaças para coleções osteológicas

Abstract

Natural history museums have played an essential role in preserving and documenting biodiversity, with osteological collections being indispensable for anatomical, taxonomic, and phylogenetic studies of vertebrates. Skeletons can be obtained using mechanical, chemical, or biological techniques, with the use of beetles of the Dermestidae family, especially Dermestes maculatus Degeer, 1774, standing out for their efficiency in cleaning tissues without damaging bone structures. However, this species is sensitive to environmental conditions such as humidity and temperature, which compromises colony maintenance in humid tropical regions. Therefore, this study evaluated the potential of Tenebrio molitor Linnaeus, 1758 as a viable substitute in osteological preparation for scientific collections. The objective was to compare the efficiency of the two species in cleaning vertebrate carcasses, considering tissue consumption, exposure time, colony viability, and skeletal preservation. The experiments were conducted at the Prof. Dias da Rocha Museum of Natural History of Ceará (MHNCE-UECE), using 14 adult colonies of each species, in addition to four larval colonies of Tenebrio molitor. The carcasses were previously sorted, prepared, and exposed under greenhouse conditions (30–31°C and RH 61–63%). The parameters evaluated included weight consumed (g), cleaning time (days), efficiency index (g/day), mortality, offspring production, and carcass moisture ratio. The data were subjected to generalized linear mixed models (GLMM). The results demonstrated that Dermestes maculatus presented higher consumption, shorter cleaning time, and high osteological quality, even with variations in carcass condition. On the other hand, Tenebrio molitor demonstrated inefficiency in its adult phase, with low intake, high mortality, and little reproductive activity. The larvae of this species, despite their high consumption rate, caused structural damage to the skeletons, making them unusable for scientific purposes. Only in mammals, such as Sapajus libidinosus, was no damage observed. It is concluded that Tenebrio molitor does not effectively replace Dermestes maculatus in the preparation of skeletons for scientific collections, and its use should be avoided when the morphological integrity of the specimens is a priority. This reinforces the importance of improving the management of Dermestes maculatus colonies as a more appropriate measure for the production of quality osteological collections.