First report on dung beetles in intra-Amazonian savannahs in Roraima, Brazil

Abstract

This is the first study to address the dung beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) diversity in intra-Amazonian savannahs in the state of Roraima, Brazil. Our aim was to survey the dung beetle fauna associated with these savannahs (regionally called 'lavrado'), since little is known about the dung beetles from this environment. We conducted three field samples using pitfall traps baited with human dung in savannah areas near the city of Boa Vista during the rainy seasons of 1996, 1997, and 2008. We collected 383 individuals from ten species, wherein six have no previous record in intra-Amazonian savannahs. The most abundant species were Ontherus appendiculatus (Mannerheim, 1829), Canthidium aff. humerale (Germar, 1813), Dichotomius nisus (Olivier, 1789), and Pseudocanthon aff. xanthurus (Blanchard, 1846). We believe that knowing the dung beetles diversity associated with the intra-Amazonian savannahs is ideal for understanding the occurrence and distribution of these organisms in a highly threatened environment, it thus being the first step towards conservation strategy development. Keywords: Tropical environments, new species occurrence, 'lavrado', Scarabaeinae. Resumo: Este é o primeiro estudo da diversidade de besouros rola-bosta (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) nas savanas intra-amazô nicas de Roraima, Brasil. Nosso objetivo foi inventariar a fauna de besouros associada com savanas (conhecidas regionalmente como 'lavrado'), uma vez que pouco se sabe sobre esses besouros nesse ambiente. Nó s amostramos em savanas pró ximas a cidade de Boa Vista durante a estac¸ão chuvosa nos anos 1996, 1997 e 2008, utilizando armadilhas pitfall iscadas com fezes humanas. Coletamos 383 indivíduos de dez espécies, das quais seis nã o haviam ocorrência prévia para savanas intraamazô nicas. As espécies mais abundantes foram Ontherus appendiculatus (Mannerheim, 1829), Canthidium aff. humerale (Germar, 1813), Dichotomius nisus (Olivier, 1789) e Pseudocanthon aff. xanthurus (Blanchard, 1846). Nó s acreditamos que conhecendo a diversidade de besouros associada às savanas intra-Amazô nicas se torna ideal para o entendimento da ocorrência e distribuic¸ã o desses organismos em um ambiente altamente ameac¸ado, sendo o primeiro passo para a tomada de estratégias de conservac¸ão. Palavras-chave: Ambientes tropicais, nova ocorrência de espécies, lavrado, Scarabaeinae.

Taxonomic reassessment of the genus Dichotomius (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae) through integrative taxonomy

“…Even so, Nunes still recognised D. nisus as unique within Selenocopris , leading to its classification in a separate species-group as an “isolated species” (Nunes, 2017; Nunes & Vaz-de-Mello, 2013). However, our data does not agree with this synonymisation as neither the aedeagus morphology nor the molecular data support the placing of D. nisus within Selenocopris and, in fact, both data types show this species more closely related to members of Dichotomius s.s. Also, D. nisus has a unique distribution and ecology that differentiates it from other Dichotomius, being a common species that is restricted to Orinoquia lowlands, pastures and open environments (França et al., 2016; Louzada & Carvalho E Silva, 2009). Therefore, the resurrection of Luederwaldtinia with D. nisus as type species or its inclusion within Dichotomius s.s. needs to be evaluated by studying the morphology and DNA variation of all the species classified under both subgenera.…”

Dung beetles (Coleoptera, Scarabaeinae) from high-altitude grasslands in São Joaquim National Park, Santa Catarina, southern Brazil

“…It is divided into 2 subgenera, Canthidium s. str. Erichson, 1847 and Eucanthidium Martínez & Halffter, 1986(Martínez and Halffter 1986) and needs urgent revision, which may result in the establishment of new genera (França et al 2016). Most species are attracted to dungand carrion-baited pitfall traps, but there are records of species attracted to rotten fruit, rotten eggs, fungi, and dead insects (Falqueto et al 2005, Halffter and Halffter 2009, da Silva and Bogoni 2014.…”

“…In the Americas, the genus comprises species of two subgenera (Onthophagus s. str. Latreille, 1807 andPalaeonthophagus Zunino, 1979) and an incertae sedis species, including species introduced from African and Europe (França et al 2016). Individuals of this species were sampled only in pitfall traps baited with human feces in the SJNP.…”

“…Individuals of this species were sampled only in pitfall traps baited with human feces in the SJNP. However, this species-complex is distributed for a wide range of environments in the South America, being attracted by several kinds of baits (França et al 2016, and references therein).…”

Description of onthophagus lucidus(sturm, 1800) (coleoptera: scarabaeidae) from Kurdistan region –Iraq

“…Dung beetles live in many habitats, including desert, grasslands and savannas desert, grasslands and savannas. 1 Farmlands, and native and planted forests. 2 Dung beetles play a remarkable role in agriculture and tropical forests by burying and consuming dung, they improve nutrient recycling and soil structure.…”