Scarabaeinae specimens were collected with the use of pitfall traps baited with human excrement, rotten meat and rotting banana, between May 2009 and April 2010, in three forest fragments in Santa ...Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil: 'Morro do Elefante' (MOEL), 'Morro do Cerrito' (MOCE) and 'Campus da Universidade Federal de Santa Maria' (UFSM). A total of 19,699 individuals belonging to 33 species were collected. Canthidium aff. trinodosum Boheman, 1858, Canthon latipes Blanchard, 1845, Dichotomius assifer (Eschscholtz 1822), Eurysternus caribaeus (Herbst 1789), Canthidium sp. and Canthon lividus Blanchard, 1845, were the most abundant species. MOEL showed the greatest richness, MOCE the greatest abundance, while UFSM showed the lowest values of richness and abundance. The greatest similarity (qualitative and quantitative) was found between MOEL and MOCE, while the lowest occurred between MOCE and UFSM. Only 51% of the species were common to all three fragments. The richness and abundance of Scarabaeinae were positively correlated with the air temperature. The richness of the fragment decreased according to the smaller size and the greater degree of disturbance of vegetation structure.
Espécimes de Scarabaeinae foram coletados com o uso de armadilhas de queda iscadas com excremento humano, carne apodrecida e banana em decomposição, entre maio de 2009 e abril de 2010, em três fragmentos florestais em Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil: Morro do Elefante (MOEL), Morro do Cerrito (MOCE) e Campus da Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM). Um total de 19.699 indivíduos de 33 espécies foi coletado; Canthidium aff. trinodosum Boheman, 1858, Canthon latipes Blanchard, 1845, Dichotomius assifer (Eschscholtz 1822), Eurysternus caribaeus (Herbst 1789), Canthidium sp. e Canthon lividus Blanchard, 1845 foram as espécies mais abundantes. MOEL apresentou a maior riqueza, MOCE a maior abundância, enquanto UFSM teve os menores valores de riqueza e abundância. A maior similaridade (qualitativa e quantitativa) ocorreu entre MOEL e MOCE, enquanto a menor ocorreu entre MOCE e UFSM. Apenas 51% das espécies foram comuns aos três fragmentos. A riqueza e a abundância de Scarabaeinae estiveram positivamente correlacionadas com a temperatura do ar. A riqueza dos fragmentos diminuiu conforme o menor tamanho e maior grau de perturbação da estrutura da vegetação.
We studied the effects of dung beetles on the fates of endozoochorous seeds of five species (Prunus jamasakura, Prunus verecunda, Prunus grayana, Swida controversa, and Vitis coignetiae) in a ...temperate deciduous forest in Japan during 2004–2006. In field experiments using dung of the Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus), we investigated the depths that dung beetles (Onthophagus atripennis, Onthophagus lenzii, and Phelotrupes auratus) buried seeds (4.8–6.8 mm diameter) and plastic markers (2 or 5 mm diameter), the levels of predation on buried and unburied seeds, and germination rates of seeds buried to different depths. All three species buried the 2-mm markers, but only P. auratus buried the seeds and 5-mm markers. There were seasonal differences in mean seed burial rates (range, 27–51%) and depths (range, 1–27 mm). Significantly more seeds were buried in June, July, and September than in August or October, and the mean burial depth was significantly deeper in June and July. Most seeds and markers were buried to a 3–6 cm depth. Germination of seeds that were positioned at depths of 1–4 cm was significantly greater than that of seeds left on the surface or buried at greater depths. Buried seeds were less likely to disappear than seeds at the surface, which may reflect differential predation. These results suggested that dung beetles, especially P. auratus, acted as a secondary seed disperser that affected the survival and distribution of seeds dispersed by a frugivore.
► We studied the role of dung beetles as secondary seed disperser in temperate forest. ► We used three dung beetle species and bear feces within five plant species and two type markers. ► Most seeds were buried to a 3–6 cm depth, and they were germinated on high rate. ► Burial of the seeds was only observed by P. auratus with large body size. ► Dung beetle is also act as a secondary seed disperser temperate zone.
Monitoring rare and elusive species for effective management and conservation is particularly challenging and often demands the development of specialized techniques. Scat surveys have been applied ...to monitor a variety of rare species but relatively little attention has been given to the development of appropriate sampling designs. To determine if scat surveys could be applied to compare the distribution of species across three habitats of a fragmented region in the Brazilian Amazon, the removal of human (n = 27) and jaguar (n = 27) scat samples in forest, riparian corridor and pasture habitats was recorded for 24 hours. Dung beetles were responsible for removing the majority of samples (71%) and a generalized linear mixed effect model revealed significant influence of habitat and scat type on removal probability, with forest and riparian corridors having higher removal compared with samples in pasture habitats. Although non-invasive scat surveys can potentially address fundamental broad-scale conservation and management questions, our results demonstrate that scat surveys in the tropics must account for differences in scat removal rates between habitats and target species before conclusions can be drawn regarding patterns of habitat use.
The Eastern Arc Mountains (EAM) consist of 13 separate mountain blocks running from southern Kenya through eastern Tanzania in an arc shape. Organisms occurring in the forests of these mountains are ...known for their high levels of endemism. Some of these organisms have their closest relatives in distant geographic regions. In this study, molecular phylogenetic methods, based on partial sequences of one nuclear (28S) and two mitochondrial (COI and 16S) genes, are used to determine the relationships of three Scarabaeinae genera (tribe Canthonini) endemic to the EAM. Janssensantus and Tanzanolus are found to have a sister relationship within a lineage of south-eastern African genera, while Madaphacosoma’s closest ties are with Oriental and Madagascan taxa Ochicanthon and Epactoides, respectively. Divergence time estimates suggest a Miocene origin for the ancestral lineages of the three genera with Janssensantus and Tanzanolus separating in the Pleistocene. Our results provide evidence for a Madagascan origin for the EAM genera.
Adult dung beetles (Onthophagus acuminatus) exhibit continuous variation in body size resulting from differential nutritional conditions experienced during larval development. Males of this species ...have a pair of horns that protrude from the base of the head, and the lengths of these horns are bimodally distributed in natural populations. Males growing larger than a threshold body size develop long horns, and males that do not achieve this size grow only rudimentary horns or no horns at all. Previous studies of other horned beetle species have shown that horned and hornless males often have different types of reproductive behavior. Here I describe the mating behaviors of the two male morphs of O. acuminatus during encounters with females. Females excavate tunnels beneath dung, where they feed, mate and provision eggs. Large, horned males were found to guard entrances to tunnels containing females. These males fought with all other males that attempted to enter these tunnels. In contrast, small, hornless males encountered females by sneaking into tunnels guarded by other males. In many instances, this was accomplished by digging new tunnels that intercepted the guarded tunnels below ground. Side-tunneling behavior allowed sneaking males to enter tunnels beneath the guarding male, and mate with females undetected. Both overall body size and relative horn length significantly affected the outcome of fights over tunnel ownership. These results suggest that alternative reproductive tactics may favor divergence in male horn morphology, with long horns favored in males large enough to guard tunnels, and hornlessness favored in smaller males that adopt the "sneaking" behavioral alternative.
Scarabaeinae specimens were collected with the use of pitfall traps baited with human excrement, rotten meat and rotting banana, between May 2009 and April 2010, in three forest fragments in Santa ...Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil: 'Morro do Elefante' (MOEL), 'Morro do Cerrito' (MOCE) and 'Campus da Universidade Federal de Santa Maria' (UFSM). A total of 19,699 individuals belonging to 33 species were collected. Canthidium aff. trinodosum Boheman, 1858, Canthon latipes Blanchard, 1845, Dichotomius assifer (Eschscholtz 1822), Eurysternus caribaeus (Herbst 1789), Canthidium sp. and Canthon lividus Blanchard, 1845, were the most abundant species. MOEL showed the greatest richness, MOCE the greatest abundance, while UFSM showed the lowest values of richness and abundance. The greatest similarity (qualitative and quantitative) was found between MOEL and MOCE, while the lowest occurred between MOCE and UFSM. Only 51% of the species were common to all three fragments. The richness and abundance of Scarabaeinae were positively correlated with the air temperature. The richness of the fragment decreased according to the smaller size and the greater degree of disturbance of vegetation structure.Espécimes de Scarabaeinae foram coletados com o uso de armadilhas de queda iscadas com excremento humano, carne apodrecida e banana em decomposição, entre maio de 2009 e abril de 2010, em três fragmentos florestais em Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil: Morro do Elefante (MOEL), Morro do Cerrito (MOCE) e Campus da Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM). Um total de 19.699 indivíduos de 33 espécies foi coletado; Canthidium aff. trinodosum Boheman, 1858, Canthon latipes Blanchard, 1845, Dichotomius assifer (Eschscholtz 1822), Eurysternus caribaeus (Herbst 1789), Canthidium sp. e Canthon lividus Blanchard, 1845 foram as espécies mais abundantes. MOEL apresentou a maior riqueza, MOCE a maior abundância, enquanto UFSM teve os menores valores de riqueza e abundância. A maior similaridade (qualitativa e quantitativa) ocorreu entre MOEL e MOCE, enquanto a menor ocorreu entre MOCE e UFSM. Apenas 51% das espécies foram comuns aos três fragmentos. A riqueza e a abundância de Scarabaeinae estiveram positivamente correlacionadas com a temperatura do ar. A riqueza dos fragmentos diminuiu conforme o menor tamanho e maior grau de perturbação da estrutura da vegetação.
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