Dung beetles of Brazilian pastures and key to genera identification (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)

Abstract

The objective of this work was to elaborate supporting tools for the correct identification of Scarabaeidae, by an identification key of genera, and a commented list of the species present in Brazilian pastures. A data survey was performed on the specimens deposited in the main Brazilian collection and reported on the recent scientific literature. The distribution of the species was identified in the Brazilian states, based on information on feeding preference, ecological aspects, and potential for faeces removal action. The species were classified according to their importance for pastures, as: high, medium, and low. A key for the identification of the genera and subgenera of Scarabeidae present in the pastures was constructed through the analysis of the external morphology of the species and, when needed, by the analysis of sexual traits. Twenty genera and 76 species of scarab beetles were recorded for Brazilian pasturelands, among which Dichotomius bos, Dichotomius nisus, Trichillum externepunctatum, Ontherus appendiculatus, Onthophagus aff. hirculus, and Digitonthophagus sp. were considered as the most frequent, widely distributed, abundant, and important. The dichotomous key will contribute to the identification of the genera and subgenera of dung beetles (Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) occurring in the Brazilian pastures.

Dung beetle diversity and functions suggest no major impacts of cattle grazing in the Brazilian Pantanal wetlands

“…Indeed, we found some species are benefited by cattle grazing, such days (Blume & Aga, 1975). This species was introduced during the 1980s to help control gastrointestinal worms and parasitic flies, being strictly coprophage (Miranda et al, 2000) and widely distributed in Brazilian pastures (Tissiani et al, 2017).…”

Patterns of alimentary resource use by dung beetles in introduced Brazilian pastures: Cattle versus sheep dung

“…Although D. gazella was dominant in cattle dung, a high number of individuals of this species were captured in sheep dung, indicating its plasticity for using different manures in introduced pastures. Furthermore, D. gazella and G. bidens are widely distributed in introduced Brazilian pastures (Tissiani et al 2017), which helps to explain the occurrence of these species in the studied pastures and their dominance in the baits.…”

“…In introduced Brazilian pastures, studies on dung beetle assemblages are growing, although still incipient (Tissiani et al 2017;Correa et al 2018;Carvalho et al 2020). Surveys of dung beetle species in introduced Brazilian pastures have been carried out using dung from horses (Louzada & Carvalho e Silva 2009) and sheep (Correa et al 2013), however, cattle dung continues to be the primary bait choice (see list in Louzada & Carvalho e Silva 2009;Tissiani et al 2017). In addition, studies on the attractiveness of dung from different herbivorous mammals to dung beetles in introduced Brazilian pastures are still scarce (only Louzada & Carvalho e Silva 2009; cattle vs. horse dung).…”

Forest complexity drives dung beetle assemblages along an edge‐interior gradient in the southwest Amazon rainforest

“…simulans (Martínez, 1950) and Canthon chalybaeus Blanchard, 1845], and the final species ( Canthon histrio ) was sampled in the first three distances (0–30 m within the forest) (see Supporting information, Table S2). Canthon chalybaeus and C. histrio have been reported to be associated with grasslands across several biogeographic provinces in Brazil (Tissiani et al ., ). Gromphas aeruginosa is a common species in artificial open environments and natural Amazonian savannas, feeding on cattle and equine dung (Cupello & Vaz‐de‐Mello, ).…”