{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,20]],"date-time":"2026-08-20T16:29:20Z","timestamp":1787243360641,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":49,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,3]],"date-time":"2026-03-03T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1772496000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University Researchers Supporting Project","award":["PNURSP2026R37"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["PNURSP2026R37"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Insects"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Snake envenomation represents a significant health concern in some regions of the world, with fatal cases occasionally requiring forensic investigation to estimate the postmortem interval (PMI). However, the influence of venom on carrion decomposition dynamics and arthropod succession patterns remains poorly understood, potentially compromising postmortem interval (PMI) estimations in such cases. Objectives: This study investigated the effects of Naja haje and Cerastes cerastes venoms on decomposition progression and necrophagous arthropod succession. Methods: Fifteen rabbits were allocated into three experimental groups. Two groups received median lethal intravenous doses (LD50) of N. haje or C. cerastes venom, whereas the control group received a saline injection followed by CO2 euthanasia. The carcasses were subsequently placed under natural field conditions and monitored daily for 15 days. Results: The presence of venom significantly altered decomposition dynamics. C. cerastes venom accelerated early decomposition, shortening both the fresh stage (1 \u00b1 0.22 days vs. 2 \u00b1 0.31 days in controls,) and bloating stage (3 \u00b1 0.35 days vs. 5 \u00b1 0.35 days), while extending both the decay stage (6 \u00b1 0.3 days vs. 6 \u00b1 0.17 days) and the dried stage (5.0 \u00b1 0.44 days vs. 2 \u00b1 0.039 days). N. haje venom showed intermediate effects. Overall arthropod abundance peaked on day 5 and declined thereafter. Control carcasses exhibited significantly higher arthropod abundance than carcasses envenomed with C. cerastes or N. haje. Conclusions: Snake envenomation significantly influenced decomposition kinetics and arthropod colonization patterns. Envenomation with C. cerastes venom produced more pronounced alterations than envenomation with N. haje venom.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/insects17030274","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,3]],"date-time":"2026-03-03T15:15:29Z","timestamp":1772550929000},"page":"274","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Comparative Effects of Snake Envenomation on Rabbit Carcass Decomposition and Insect Succession in a Forensic Context"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"17","author":[{"given":"Abdelwahab","family":"Khalil","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Entomology Division, Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef 62521, Egypt"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Eman E.","family":"Zaher","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44519, Egypt"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0905-4473","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mustafa M.","family":"Soliman","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Entomology Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Orman, Giza 12613, Egypt"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5459-5255","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ashraf M.","family":"Ahmed","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11481, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"El-Sayed H.","family":"Shaurub","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Entomology Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Orman, Giza 12613, Egypt"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Areej A.","family":"Al-Khalaf","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Biology Department, College of Science, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7344-7415","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mahmoud M.","family":"Zidan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Zoology & Entomology Department, Faculty of Sciences, Al-Azhar University, Cairo 11884, Egypt"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,3]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"26","DOI":"10.1016\/j.forsciint.2009.08.014","article-title":"Annual and seasonal patterns of insect succession on decomposing remains at two locations in Western Australia","volume":"193","author":"Voss","year":"2009","journal-title":"Forensic Sci. 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