Abstract
ABSTRACT Dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) are exposed to hypoxic conditions throughout their life cycle, including exposure to periods of severe hypoxia and hypercapnia within dung pats and closed burrows as adults. For rollers and tunnelers, underground brood chambers may also be exposed to flooding from seasonal precipitation. Because of their routine exposure to hypoxic conditions, these species may exhibit significant tolerance to immersion. Thus, this study examined the immersion tolerance of five species of adult dung beetles, Aphodius haemorrhoidalis (L.), Canthon pilularius (L.), Melanocanthon nigricornis (Say), Onthophagus hecate (Panzer), and Phanaeus vindex MacLeay, representing three behavioral groups (rollers, tunnelers, dwellers) by submersing them in hypoxic water (dissolved oxygen concentrations below 0.3 ppm). We found no differences in time to 50% mortality (LT50) among behavioral groups. Mean survival times ranged from 7–37 hours, with P. vindex having the shortest LT50 of 7.87 h...
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