Abstract

MUNIZ VELEZ, Raúl. Restos de insectos antiguos recuperados en la cueva "La Chagüera" del Estado de Morelos, México. Acta Zool. Mex [online]. 2001, n.83, pp.115-125. ISSN 2448-8445.

This paper gives accounts for some ancient insects, that were obtained in relation to funerarius deposits inside the "La Chagüera" cave, localized near Ticuman, Morelos state, Mexico, during the archaeological and archaeobotanical studies under Ticuman 94 Proyect. Fragments of three orders of insects were found: Coleoptera, Diptera and Lepidoptera, and also some fragments of Diplopoda, Polydesmida Rhachodesmidae. The following taxa were determined: the Coleoptera family Scarabaeidae, with the genera Dichotomius, Ontophagus, which are attracted by carrion and Copris, which prefers excreta; the family Trogidae, represented by the genus Omorgus, which has affinity for carrion. The family Melolonthidae with the phytophagous genus Cotinis and Hologymnetis; the family Dermestidae, represented by Dermestes, with preferences for dry organic matter. Fragments of Tenebrionidae, belonging to the genus Eleodes and Asidinae, as well as one prothorax of Elateridae and some elytra of Lampyridae or Meloidae were found. The order Diptera was represented by the family Calliphoridae with the genus Phormia that visits carrion; the family Stratiomyidae, represented by the genus Hermetia that frequent corpses; the subfamily Cuterebrinae with the genera Cuterebra and Hypoderma which are hypodermical parasites in vertebrate animals. The order Lepidoptera was determined only to the family Tinaeidae. It is difficult to explain the presence of Cotinis and Hologymnetis elytra, because they are phytofagous insects and cannot visit the dark areas inside the cave, but possibly they correspond to cultural activities of the ancient population, being very difficult to prove. The presence of Cuterebrinae can be explained because they parasitized some vertebrates that visited the cave. This is the first time the relationship between insects and funeral deposites with an age of 200 B.C.- 200 A.D. inside a cave, are registered for Mexico.

Keywords : ancient insects; cave; funeral deposites.