A research team at Ferdowsi University in Mashhad, Iran, has identified a practical solution to a persistent challenge faced by natural history museums: the need to clean flesh from animal specimens for skeletal study and exhibition. The museum regularly receives donations of deceased animals and injured birds, creating storage and preparation demands that exceed their current capacity.
The researchers explored various techniques traditionally used to remove tissue from specimens, each presenting distinct limitations. Chemical treatments harm the environment and can compromise skeletal integrity, while boiling is time-intensive and risks damaging delicate bones. Dermestid beetles are efficient flesh-eaters but pose a significant containment risk, as escaped specimens could destroy preserved materials by consuming feathers and dried skin throughout museum collections.
The team’s investigation turned toward superworms, the larval form of Zophobas morio, a beetle species native to South and Central America that is readily available as pet food. These larvae, nearly finger-sized with powerful mandibles, showed remarkable potential when exposed to animal carcasses ranging from small rodents and fish to larger predators such as wolves and wildcats. The researchers found that 10 to 15 superworms could effectively clean specimens, including intricate structures like fish ribs, after brief pre-treatment and softening in hot water.
A key advantage of superworms is their developmental biology: they remain in larval form when kept in groups, preventing maturation into adult beetles that could cause harm elsewhere in the museum. This containment feature, combined with the ability to reuse the same larvae for approximately six months, addresses safety concerns associated with other insect-based cleaning methods. The findings, published in PLOS One this month, suggest that the approach could benefit institutions of varying sizes and resource levels.
While some experts in skeletal preparation and forensic entomology acknowledge the potential benefits of superworm-based cleaning, some researchers have expressed reservations about whether their powerful mandibles might inadvertently fracture delicate bones or whether their preference for vegetarian matter might make them inconsistent feeders on animal tissue.