Abstract

Scarabaeus spretus zur Strassen was observed to roll and bury Ceratocaryum argenteum (Restionaceae) seeds in the sandplain fynbos of the Potberg area of the De Hoop Nature Reserve, South Africa. This species is the second dung beetle species found to be deceived by the faecal mimicry of C. argenteum seeds – the first species being Epirinus flagellatus. An isotopic analysis suggests that both these dung beetle species most likely feed on eland (Taurotragus oryx), not bontebok (Damaliscus pygargus pygargus), dung. Thus the model in this mimicry is eland dung; this interaction suggests large herbivores are an integral part of this fynbos. 
 Supplementary Video: A Scarabaeus spretus dung beetle burying seeds of Ceratocaryum argenteum: https://youtu.be/C_VFlAcsx10

Highlights

  • The dung beetle Epirinus flagellatus was observed to roll and bury seeds of the Cape plant Ceratocaryum argenteum (Restionaceae) at a site in the Potberg part of the De Hoop Nature Reserve in South Africa.[1]

  • E. flagellatus crawled out of the vegetation towards seed piles, with only an occasional individual flying in, whereas all S. spretus individuals flew towards the seed piles

  • Flies of the Sarcophagidae were frequently observed to settle on C. argenteum seeds (Figure 1d), indicating that they too are deceived by the scent of the seeds

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Summary

Introduction

The dung beetle Epirinus flagellatus was observed to roll and bury seeds of the Cape plant Ceratocaryum argenteum (Restionaceae) at a site in the Potberg part of the De Hoop Nature Reserve in South Africa.[1]. The seeds have characteristics of the dung of both of the most common large herbivores in the reserve: the eland (Taurotragus oryx) and the bontebok (Damaliscus pygargus pygargus).[1] the seeds are more similar in shape and size to the smaller faeces of the bontebok, which is the possible visual model that C. argenteum mimics. At the same Potberg site, during February 2016, we observed similar seed dispersal of C. argenteum seeds by another dung beetle, Scarabaeus spretus zur Strassen. The aim of this paper is to document this new burial behaviour and to investigate both dung beetle species to determine whether the faeces of the bontebok or the eland is the likely model of the mimic

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