Annotated checklist of Scarabaeoidea (Coleoptera) of SwitzerlandAn updated checklist of the Swiss species belonging to the superfamily Scarabaeoidea is presented and briefly discussed. A total of 173 species belonging to the families Geotrupidae, Glaphyridae, Lucanidae, Ochodaeidae, Scarabaeidae and Trogidae is confirmed for Switzerland. This species list is based on 73'358 occurrences obtained from the identification of specimens held in museums and private collections and from the literature. In parallel, 65 species that were recorded from Switzerland in the past are excluded from this list, for reasons of insufficient documentation. RésuméUne liste actualisée des espèces suisses des six familles appartenant à la superfamille des Scarabaeoidea est présentée et brièvement commentée. La présence de 173 espèces de Geotrupidae, Glaphyridae, Lucanidae, Ochodaeidae, Scarabaeidae et Trogidae est attestée en Suisse sur la base de 73'358 occurrences issues de l'identification de spécimens de musées et de collections privées, ainsi que de la littérature. En parallèle, 65 espèces annoncées de Suisse dans le passé sont exclues de la liste car insuffisamment documentées.
Bird nests are specialized habitats because of their particular composition including nest detritus and bird droppings. In consequence, they attract a specialized arthropod community considered as nidicolous, which includes species only found in bird nests (strictly nidicolous) or sometimes found in bird nests (facultatively nidicolous). Because the factors influencing the entomofauna in bird nests are poorly understood, in autumn 2019, we collected nest material in 86 Barn Owl (Tyto alba) nest boxes. We investigated whether the invertebrate species richness was related to Barn Owl nest box occupancy, the density of available nest boxes and the landscape structure. We found 3,321 nidicolous beetle specimens belonging to 24 species. Species richness of strictly nidicolous beetles was 2.7 times higher in nest boxes occupied by a family of Barn Owls the previous spring compared to unoccupied nest boxes. It was also higher in sites that were more often occupied by Barn Owls in the five previous years and in areas surrounded by a higher proportion of crop fields. For facultatively nidicolous beetles, the density of Barn Owl nest boxes enhanced the species richness. In conclusion, our study suggests that the strictly nidicolous beetles benefit from occupied nest boxes of Barn Owls, whereas facultatively nidicolous beetles look for nest boxes independently of whether Barn Owls occupy them. Our study highlights the importance of bird nests for a suite of invertebrates.
Annotated checklist of Scarabaeoidea (Coleoptera) of SwitzerlandAn updated checklist of the Swiss species belonging to the superfamily Scarabaeoidea is presented and briefly discussed. A total of 173 species belonging to the families Geotrupidae, Glaphyridae, Lucanidae, Ochodaeidae, Scarabaeidae and Trogidae is confirmed for Switzerland. This species list is based on 73'358 occurrences obtained from the identification of specimens held in museums and private collections and from the literature. In parallel, 65 species that were recorded from Switzerland in the past are excluded from this list, for reasons of insufficient documentation. RésuméUne liste actualisée des espèces suisses des six familles appartenant à la superfamille des Scarabaeoidea est présentée et brièvement commentée. La présence de 173 espèces de Geotrupidae, Glaphyridae, Lucanidae, Ochodaeidae, Scarabaeidae et Trogidae est attestée en Suisse sur la base de 73'358 occurrences issues de l'identification de spécimens de musées et de collections privées, ainsi que de la littérature. En parallèle, 65 espèces annoncées de Suisse dans le passé sont exclues de la liste car insuffisamment documentées.
Coprophagous beetles are essential for fecal matter removal and are thus considered key ecosystem services providers. Yet, our knowledge of these beetles’ distribution and ecology remains very limited. Here, we used Species Distribution Models (SDM) to investigate the species-environment relationships (i.e. their niche) and predict the geographic distribution of coprophagous beetles in the Western Swiss Alps. We used our own sampled data and existing national data from the Swiss faunal database to calibrate, for each species, a regional and a national SDM respectively. In both models, the best predictors were temperature and rock cover proportion, while a soil characteristic (∂13C) indicating its organic content and texture was important in the regional models and precipitations in the Swiss models. The model performed better for species specialized on low or high altitudes than for generalist species occurring in a large altitudinal range. The model performances were neither influenced by the size, nor by the nesting behavior (laying eggs inside or below the excrements) of the species. We also showed that species richness decreased with altitude. This study opens new perspective for a better knowledge of coprophagous beetle’s ecology and a useful tool for their conservation in mountain regions.
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