Abstract
BackgroundOniticellini Kolbe, 1905 is a paucispecific tribe of the scarab beetle subfamily Scarabaeinae. The tribe is composed of 256 described species worldwide, while from India, 26 species were recorded to date. Beetles belonging to this tribe are commonly known as paracoprid dung beetles and perform some remarkable ecological functions. Nevertheless, there is a dearth of knowledge on the occurrence of these beetles in the mega diverse tropical forests of the Himalayan foothills located in the north of the West Bengal state of India.New informationA first faunistic account of the tribe Oniticellini Kolbe, 1905 from Baikunthapur Forest, located at the Himalayan foothills of the West Bengal state of India is presented. A total of five species of the tribe distributed over two genera Tiniocellus and Liatongus were recorded during multiple surveys of the scarab fauna of the Forest. All taxa were recorded for the first time from the area, while Tiniocellus spinipes (Roth, 1851) is a new record for the West Bengal State of India. Additionally, a preliminary checklist of Indian species of the tribe is also provided.
Highlights
The tribe Oniticellini Kolbe, 1905 shows a cosmopolitan distribution and is composed of approximately 26 genera and 252 species worldwide (Philips 2016)
By consuming and burying dung, these beetles play a significant role in various ecological functions, such as nutrient recycling, seed dispersal, bioturbation, pollination and parasite suppression (Yokoyama et al 1991, Mittal 1993, Nichols et al 2008)
These beetles, by altering the micro-organism fauna in dung pats, brood balls and associated soils, stimulate the aerobic conditions and reduce methane production (Yokoyama et al 1991, Mittal 1993, Nichols et al 2008). Dung beetles show their highest diversity in tropical forests and savannahs (Hanski and Cambefort 1991) and the ecological functions performed by them are considered extremely important for the maintenance of biodiversity in these mega biodiversity zones
Summary
Oniticellini Kolbe, 1905 is a paucispecific tribe of the scarab beetle subfamily Scarabaeinae. The tribe is composed of 256 described species worldwide, while from India, 26 species were recorded to date. Beetles belonging to this tribe are commonly known as paracoprid dung beetles and perform some remarkable ecological functions. There is a dearth of knowledge on the occurrence of these beetles in the mega diverse tropical forests of the Himalayan foothills located in the north of the West Bengal state of India. A first faunistic account of the tribe Oniticellini Kolbe, 1905 from Baikunthapur Forest, located at the Himalayan foothills of the West Bengal state of India is presented. A total of Sarkar S, Kharel B five species of the tribe distributed over two genera Tiniocellus and Liatongus were recorded during multiple surveys of the scarab fauna of the Forest. A preliminary checklist of Indian species of the tribe is provided
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