Subfamily Scarabaeinae Research Articles

Defining new dung beetle tribes to resolve discrepancies between phylogeny and tribal classification in the subfamily Scarabaeinae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae).

The monophyletic, dung beetle subfamily, Scarabaeinae, has a long history of subdivision into tribes and subtribes represented by groups of genera unified by designated characters. Various tribal names have been proposed although only 11 or 12 were considered valid in recent reviews. Three of these 12 tribes have now been invalidated due to extensive polyphyly indicated by both morphological and molecular phylogenies. Although partial revision of tribal classification was proposed in the most recent global molecular phylogeny of the subfamily, this was primarily limited to redefinition of membership or provision of support for pre-existing tribes. Complete revision was not attempted as the phylogeny examined interrelationships between only ~52% of the valid described genera. It was also hampered by inconsistencies in topology using different analytical methods, weakened by limited bootstrap support for many basal nodes, as well predicting several phylogenetic relationships that seemed anomalous with regards to biogeographical hypotheses. Nevertheless, using this phylogeny, we propose further revision of tribal classification in a clade of primarily African genera included within a group defined as "basal Scarabaeinae". Using three different methods, the sister lineages of this clade were consistently recovered, mostly with strong bootstrap support for their molecular relatedness. Therefore, we provide a number of defining morphological characters to support their proposed designation as three new tribes: Byrrhidiini, Endroedyolini and Odontolomini. We also discuss approaches to a full tribal revision as well as the implications for historical biogeography of the Scarabaeinae.

Scarab Beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea: Scarabaeidae) of Vidarbha, India, with Notes on Distribution

Surveys for collection of scarab beetles of different habitats of the Vidarbha region of Central India were conducted during 2013–2018. A total of 97 species of 39 genera belonging to 07 subfamilies were identified, where 10 species were newly recorded. Subfamily Scarabaeinae is dominant with 57 species under 18 genera, followed by Melolonthinae with 13 species under 05 genera. Third abundant subfamily in terms of species richness is Rutelinae with 10 species under 04 genera. Cetoniinae contributed 09 species under 08 genera. Aphodiinae and Dynastinae contributed 04 and 02 species, respectively, whereas Orphinae added only 02 species. The most dominating subfamily Scarabaeinae can be further categorized into tunnelers, dwellers and rollers according to their functional group. Tunnelers contribute about 77.19% of the species composition of Scarabaeinae followed by rollers 14.04% and dwellers 8.77%. This study also provides the location-specific occurrence data of beetles from the investigated sites. The presented comprehensive checklist is unique in compiling economically and ecologically important scarab faunal diversity of Vidarbha region of Central India.

Listado de especies y clave de géneros y subgéneros de escarabajos estercoleros (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) presentes y presuntos para Ecuador

Los escarabajos de la subfamilia Scarabaeinae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) son un grupo importante utilizado en estudios de taxonomía, ecología, biodiversidad, conservación e historia natural, por ser buenos indicadores de la calidad del hábitat y ricos en géneros y especies. Su taxonomía es relativamente bien conocida; sin embargo, comúnmente se registran nuevos taxones y cambios nomenclaturales, principalmente por revisiones a nivel de género. Actualmente, en el neotrópico se han registrado 127 taxones (entre géneros y subgéneros), de los cuales 59 taxones pertenecientes a 33 géneros y 220 especies (con 22 nuevos registros) se registran en Ecuador y otros nueve géneros podrían llegar a ser registrados. Con el objetivo de fomentar el estudio y el conocimiento de este grupo en Ecuador, en este trabajo se presenta una clave de identificación de géneros y subgéneros presentes y/o presuntos para el país, la cual incluye taxones actuales según nuevas publicaciones para el neotrópico de Scarabaeinae.

Caracterización preliminar de escarabajos coprófagos y fitófagos (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae, Melolonthidae) del bosque seco de la serranía de la Macuira, Alta Guajira, Colombia

The Macuira mountain range, located in the extreme north of South America, encompasses unique and important ecosystems that include tropical dry forest, thorny forest, and dwarf damp forest. The Alexander Von Humboldt Biological Resources Institute conducted an expedition to the Macuira mountain range to characterize the flora and fauna and to conduct an approximation to the socio-ecological territory of the Wayuu indigenous ethnicity. Field work was performed at the Kajashiwou indigenous reservation, district of Nazareth, Uribia municipality, within the Macuira National Natural Park, in the Guajira Department. In the component of terrestrial insects, the families Scarabaeidae and Melolonthidae were sampled using different sampling methods. A total of 526 individuals in 19 species and 13 genera of four subfamilies: Scarabaeinae (Scarabaeidae), Melolonthinae, Rutelinae and Dynastinae (Melolonthidae) were collected. The species of dung beetles in subfamily Scarabaeinae are included among the species found in other dry forest sites in the Colombian Caribbean region. From the other subfamilies of Scarabaeidae new registers for the country and a new species for science is contributed. The first species list of Scarabaeidae and Melolonthidae families of the extreme north of Colombia are presented.

Diversidad de escarabajos copronecrófagos (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) en la Reserva de la Biosfera Selva El Ocote, Chiapas, México

Los escarabajos de la subfamilia Scarabaeinae son considerados importantes para estudios de diversidad biológica y conservación de ecosistemas. Realizan una variedad de funciones y son sensibles a las perturbaciones ambientales. Chiapas es una de las regiones con mayor número de registros de Scarabaeinae en México, pero aún existen extensas zonas con poco conocimiento sobre este grupo de insectos, incluyendo algunas áreas naturales protegidas, como es el caso de la Reserva de la Biosfera Selva El Ocote. Se analizaron los ensambles de escarabajos copronecrófagos, producto de cinco muestreos sistemáticos realizados durante 2011 y 2012, en tres hábitats representativos de la reserva. Las recolecciones se realizaron mediante trampas de caída utilizando calamar, estiércol de cerdo y estiércol vacuno como atrayentes. Se recolectaron 5421 escarabajos de seis tribus, 12 géneros y 37 especies. La cobertura del muestreo fue cercana al 100 % y las evaluaciones indican que la Selva tuvo la riqueza más cercana a la estimada mientras que el cultivo de café es el hábitat con mayor posibilidad de adicionar especies al inventario. Los valores de diversidad beta sugieren que las faunas de los tres hábitats forman parte de una sola comunidad de escarabajos, pero la composición de los gremios tróficos es diferente en todos ellos. La fauna obtenida constituye el 31,1 % de las especies registradas en Chiapas. Este trabajo representa el primer estudio mediante muestreos sistemáticos en la Reserva de la Biosfera Selva El Ocote.

Diagnóstico de qualidade ambiental do Parque Estadual Vitório Piassa por meio do uso de besouros bioindicadores

O presente trabalho teve como objetivo analisar a qualidade ambiental em um fragmento florestal de Mata Atlântica próximo a uma área urbana. O estudo foi realizado no Parque Estadual Vitório Piassa, situado no município de Pato Branco, Paraná, onde coletas de besouros da subfamília Scarabaeinae foram realizadas através de armadilhas de queda em três áreas distintas dentro do parque, entre fevereiro e março de 2015. Foram coletados no total 945 indivíduos pertencentes a 22 espécies, dos quais 366 indivíduos de 18 espécies foram coletados na área de vegetação mais densa, 291 de 18 espécies na área de vegetação secundária e 288 de 16 espécies na área mais antropizada. As espécies mais abundantes foram Dichotomius mormon e Eurysternus parallelus, somando juntas mais de 50% do total de indivíduos capturados. Os índices de diversidade (Shannon e Simpson) e de equitabilidade (Pielou) foram maiores na área com vegetação secundária, o que pode ser explicado por ser uma área intermediária, tanto em termos espaciais como temporais. A análise de similaridade baseada no índice de Bray-Curtis mostrou a formação de dois grupos: um constituído pelas assembleias das áreas em regeneração e o outro apenas pela área de vegetação mais densa, principalmente devido à grande abundância de besouros nesta área. Assim, foi possível observar que o Parque mantém uma qualidade de habitat que permite abrigar uma grande abundância de muitas espécies de escarabeíneos, principalmente nas áreas mais conservadas.

Occurrence of beetles (Insecta: Coleoptera) in mosquito ovitraps (Diptera: Culicidae, Culicinae) in an Atlantic Forest fragment

Ovitraps are generally used to collect immatures of Culicinae (Diptera: Culicidae). This study reports eight species of beetles found in ovitraps placed in an Atlantic Forest fragment in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Southern Brazil. Seven species were classified in the family Scarabaeidae (subfamily Scarabaeinae), and one species in the family Hybosoridae (subfamily Hybosorinae). The first record of Canthon angularis Harold, 1868 in Rio Grande do Sul state is also documented.

Multigene phylogenetic analysis redefines dung beetles relationships and classification (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae).

BackgroundDung beetles (subfamily Scarabaeinae) are popular model organisms in ecology and developmental biology, and for the last two decades they have experienced a systematics renaissance with the adoption of modern phylogenetic approaches. Within this period 16 key phylogenies and numerous additional studies with limited scope have been published, but higher-level relationships of this pivotal group of beetles remain contentious and current classifications contain many unnatural groupings. The present study provides a robust phylogenetic framework and a revised classification of dung beetles.ResultsWe assembled the so far largest molecular dataset for dung beetles using sequences of 8 gene regions and 547 terminals including the outgroup taxa. This dataset was analyzed using Bayesian, maximum likelihood and parsimony approaches. In order to test the sensitivity of results to different analytical treatments, we evaluated alternative partitioning schemes based on secondary structure, domains and codon position. We assessed substitution models adequacy using Bayesian framework and used these results to exclude partitions where substitution models did not adequately depict the processes that generated the data. We show that exclusion of partitions that failed the model adequacy evaluation has a potential to improve phylogenetic inference, but efficient implementation of this approach on large datasets is problematic and awaits development of new computationally advanced software. In the class Insecta it is uncommon for the results of molecular phylogenetic analysis to lead to substantial changes in classification. However, the results presented here are congruent with recent morphological studies and support the largest change in dung beetle systematics for the last 50 years. Here we propose the revision of the concepts for the tribes Deltochilini (Canthonini), Dichotomiini and Coprini; additionally, we redefine the tribe Sisyphini. We provide and illustrate synapomorphies and diagnostic characters supporting the new concepts to facilitate diagnosability of the redefined tribes. As a result of the proposed changes a large number of genera previously assigned to these tribes are now left outside the redefined tribes and are treated as incertae sedis.ConclusionsThe present study redefines dung beetles classification and gives new insight into their phylogeny. It has broad implications for the systematics as well as for various ecological and evolutionary analyses in dung beetles.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12862-016-0822-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Biogeographical and co-evolutionary origins of scarabaeine dung beetles: Mesozoic vicarianceversusCenozoic dispersal and dinosaurversusmammal dung

The subfamily Scarabaeinae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) may have originated in Gondwanaland, through Mesozoic vicariance or dispersal in association with dinosaur dung, or through Cenozoic dispersal in association with mammal dung. We review evidence from age-calibrated phylogenies, fossil records, biogeographical patterns, and ecological associations. Fossil calibrated phylogenies for Scarabaeoidea predict a Cretaceous origin for Scarabaeinae, although age estimates would rely on other scarabaeoid groups given the doubtful validity of Mesozoic ‘scarabaeine’ fossils. Molecular clock calibrated phylogenies for Scarabaeinae predict an early Cenozoic origin coeval with modern mammal diversification. Trace fossil evidence suggests the exploitation of dinosaur dung by fossorial insects, although scarabaeine fossils are only validated for the Cenozoic. Although we discuss fossil evidence for dinosaur dung as a faunal resource, the origin of modern scarabaeines from an earlier Mesozoic vicariant or dispersal fauna remains unsupported. Although clock-constrained, phylogram topography is consistent with early Cenozoic palaeoclimatic and palaeoecological events, Eocene marine barriers would demand dispersal to explain the distributional origins of Scarabaeinae. Inconsistencies between classification and phylogeny complicate biogeographical analysis, although earlier southern radiation of basally-derived tribes has probably been followed by later diversification and the global dispersal of both basally and terminally-derived taxa, primarily via restored land links.

Novel members of the adipokinetic hormone family in beetles of the superfamily Scarabaeoidea

Eight beetle species of the superfamily Scarabaeoidea were investigated with respect to peptides belonging to the adipokinetic hormone (AKH) family in their neurohemal organs, the corpora cardiaca (CC). The following beetle families are represented: Scarabaeidae, Lucanidae, and Geotrupidae. AKH peptides were identified through a heterospecific trehalose-mobilizing bioassay and by sequence analyses, using liquid chromatography coupled to positive electrospray mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS) and analysis of the tandem MS2 spectra obtained by collision-induced dissociation. All the beetle species have octapeptide AKHs; some have two AKHs, while others have only one. Novel AKH members were found in Euoniticellus intermedius and Circellium bacchus (family Scarabaeidae), as well as in Dorcus parallelipipedus (family Lucanidae). Two species of the family Geotrupidae and two species of the Scarabaeidae subfamily Cetoniinae contain one known AKH peptide, Melme-CC, while E. intermedius produces a novel peptide code named Euoin-AKH: pEINFTTGWamide. Two AKH peptides were each identified in CC of C. bacchus and D. parallelipipedus: the novel Cirba-AKH: pEFNFSAGWamide and the known peptide, Scade-CC-I in the former, and the novel Dorpa-AKH: pEVNYSPVW amide and the known peptide, Melme-CC in the latter. Kheper bonelli (subfamily Scarabaeinae) also has two AKHs, the known Scade-CC-I and Scade-CC-II. All the novel peptides were synthesized and the amino acid sequence assignments were unequivocally confirmed by co-elution of the synthetic peptides with their natural equivalent, and identical MS parameters of the two forms. The novel synthetic peptides are all active in inducing hypertrehalosemia in cockroaches.

Habitat and dung preferences of scarab beetles of the subfamily Scarabaeinae: a case study in a tropical monsoon forest in Sri Lanka

AbstractWe studied the food and habitat preferences of beetles of the subfamily Scarabaeinae in a protected tropical monsoon forest, the Wasgomuwa National Park in Sri Lanka. While gaining an insight into the capacity of different resources to support dung beetles, we tested the hypothesis that, in a landscape with a mosaic of habitat types and a diversity of large mammals, specialization facilitates coexistence of the scarabs. Pitfall traps were laid in five distinct habitat types (forest, riverine, sandy banks, scrub and grassland), and baited with five dung types (leopard, cervid, elephant, bear and buffalo). Four hundred and fifty seven beetles of 22 species in seven genera were recorded. Significant differences were seen in the species richness and abundance of dung beetles between different habitats and dung types, indicating habitat and food preferences. The highest richness of scarabs was in the riverine habitat and in leopard dung. Niche breath values of the individual species indicated differences in the degrees of specialization, while niche overlap values indicated a greater sharing of dung beetle species between similar habitats and dung types than between dissimilar ones. These findings provide evidence that selectivity of habitat, and dung, may be important in promoting coexistence among the scarabs in a tropical environment.

Studies on Tribe Onitini (Scarabaeinae: Scarabaeidae: Coleoptera) from Madhya Pradesh with a Checklist from India

The tribe Onitini under the subfamily Scarabaeinae of family Scarabaeidae includes about 210 tunnelling species under 18 entirely coprophagous genera. Except Cheironitis and Onitis, the other 16 genera are species poor, comprising one Palaearctic (Bubas, three species) and 15 African endemics. The composition of the tribe in Madhya Pradesh consisted of 7 species within 2 genera (Onitis and Cheironitis). Onitis falcatus has been recorded for the first time from the state. The details of specimens examined, illustrations and descriptions of adult beetle and their external male genitalia and intra specific variations have been discussed. The geographical distribution is provided along with an identification key for all the recorded species from the state. A checklist pertaining 15 species under 2 genera of the tribe Onitini from India is also prepared.

Environmental influence on coprophagous Scarabaeidae (Insecta, Coleoptera) assemblages in the Pantanal of Mato Grosso.

Here we examine assemblage structure of coprophagous Scarabaeidae (dung beetles) in the Pantanal of the state of Mato Grosso with respect to flooding regimes, soil texture, leaf litter volume and tree dominance in native and exotic pastures. Samples were collected along 30 transects of 250 m in length in a 5×5 km grid (25 km2). Five pitfalls baited with human feces were placed in each transect. A total of 1692 individuals in 19 species were captured, the majority in the subfamily Scarabaeinae and Aphodiinae. Assemblages were influenced by the duration of flooding and leaf litter volume. None of the other habitat variables was correlated with species richness. Cultivated pastures with exotic grasses were unimportant for composition of the assemblages of beetles. These results indicate that duration of flooding is the most important regulating force in this community.

THE DIVERSITY OF TRUE DUNG BEETLES (COLEOPTERA: SCARABAEIDAE) IN LARGE MAMMAL DUNG WITHIN THE WASGOMUWA NATIONAL PARK, SRI LANKA

This paper reports the species richness and abundance of true dung beetles (Family Scarabaeidae: subfamily Scarabaeinae) in the Wasgomuwa National Park, Sri Lanka. This survey was conducted during the prolonged dry season using active and passive methods of sampling and revealed the presence of 25 species (637 individuals), including one endemic, Onthophagus martialis, representing eight genera. This finding is interesting as it suggests the possibility that this forest is equally as rich in dung beetles as forests of the wet zone reported by others. There was considerable disparity in abundance among the genera and species. The best represented genus was Onthophagus with a total of 16 species, whilst the most common species, with 159 individuals, was O. pygmaeus. All dung beetle species were unevenly distributed within the park. The information generated on this ecologically important group can be used to determine the true conservation value of the dry zone protected areas.

A molecular phylogeny of the African Scarabaeinae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)

Dung beetles of the subfamily Scarabaeinae have a worldwide distribution, with the Afrotropical region, the putative origin of the diversification of Scarabaeinae, having the richest diversity. We use partial sequences from two ribosomal (16S, 28S) and two protein coding genes (COI, CAD) to examine the relationships among 55 genera, representing more than half of the genera in the region. Taxa were sampled to maximize representation of dung beetle morphological and ecological diversity in all nine tribes that occur in Africa. We estimated the divergence times of the tribes to determine relative ages. The phylogenetic hypothesis of tribal and generic relationships was found to largely concur with that of a recent molecular study done at a global scale, suggesting earliest diverging lineages which are quite distinct from the ones traditionally recognized. Thus recent calls for a new classification for Scarabaeinae are supported. We suggest possible changes to the classification, corroborate the likely African origin of the subfamily and provide support for fungus-feeding as the most likely ancestral feeding habit in the Scarabaeinae.

Ateuchus cujuchi n. sp., a new inquiline species of Scarabaeinae(Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) from tuco-tuco burrows in Bolivia.

In 2012, P. Skelley and J. Wappes were investigating the insect fauna of Ctenomys (Blainville, 1826) (Rodentia: Ctenomyidae) burrows at low elevation in Santa Cruz de la Sierra province, Bolivia. A number of beetles were extracted from this microhabitat and among them, 50 specimens belonging to the New World genus Ateuchus Weber from the subfamily Scarabaeinae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). The specimens were submitted to the author for identification and did not match any currently described species. Although South American species of the genus Ateuchus are critically in need of a modern revision, it is considered important to describe this particular species as it is the first one recorded from mammal burrows in South America and it is easily distinguishable from all other known Ateuchus.

Grado de cobertura del muestreo de escarabajos coprófagos (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) en Colombia

Una de las principales limitantes para generar estrategias para la conservación, es la falta de información y la dificultad para identificar vacíos de conocimiento, que faciliten el entendimiento de un grupo taxonómico. En este trabajo desarrollamos el diagnóstico sobre el grado de cobertura del muestreo de escarabajos coprófagos en Colombia. Se recopiló la bibliografía, utilizando 12 bases de datos y se revisaron 16 940 especímenes depositados en 26 colecciones. Se encontraron 232 especies, en 386 localidades, con un porcentaje de cobertura del 10.62%. Se evidencia en los últimos años un incremento en el número de estudios, sin embargo solo 64 localidades tienen publicaciones. Se encontraron registros para todos los departamentos, siendo los mejor muestreados: Cundinamarca, Antioquia, Valle del Cauca y Boyaca. Los ecosistemas con mayor número de publicaciones son el bosque húmedo premontano Andino, el bosque húmedo montano Andino y el bosque húmedo del Pacífico. Sin embargo, existen muchos ecosistemas con muy pocos estudios como los manglares, zonas desérticas, savanas naturales, morichales, paramos, bosques inundables y sistemas agrícolas. La región biogeográfica con mayor número de localidades es la Andina, seguida del Chocó-Magdalenense y la Amazonía. A nivel general, persiste un alto nivel de submuestreo. Se evidencia la necesidad de ampliar la cobertura del muestreo a nivel nacional, enfocando los esfuerzos en aquellas áreas submuestreadas con importancia a nivel de conservación. Jorge Ari Noriega1, Edgar Camero R.2, Jorge Arias-Buriticá3, Luis Carlos Pardo4, José Mauricio Montes5, Aldemar A. Acevedo6, Andrea Esparza7, Betselene Murcia Ordóñez8, Hector Garcia9 & Cesil Solís10 1Laboratorio de Zoología y Ecología Acuática - LAZOEA, Universidad de Los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia; jnorieg@hotmail.com2Departamento de Biología, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia; eecameror@unal.edu.co3Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia; joaariasbu@unal.edu.co4Instituto de Investigaciones Ambientales del Pacífico-IIAP-MMA, regional Valle, Palmira, Colombia; pardolc@hotmail.com5Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Medellín, Colombia; jmpamplonman@gmail.com6Grupo de Ecología y Biogeografía, Facultad de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad de Pamplona, Pamplona, Colombia; bioaldemar@gmail.com7Universidad Industrial de Santander, Bucaramanga, Colombia; aesparzaleon@gmail.com8Grupo BYDA, Universidad de la Amazonía, Florencia, Colombia; b.murcia@udla.edu.co9Herbario UTMC, Universidad del Magdalena, Santa Marta, Colombia; coleopterocoprofago@yahoo.es10Universidad del Atlántico, Fundación Hidrobiológica George Dahl, Barranquilla, Colombia; cesilsoli@yahoo.com

Spatial and temporal variation of dung beetle assemblages in a fragmented landscape at eastern humid Chaco.

The aims of this study were to characterize the fauna of dung beetles and analyze their spatial and temporal diversity in a cattle ranch in the province of Chaco. Seven surveys were conducted in three environmental units: a forest fragment, a cattle pasture, and an open grassland. The efficiency of the sampling was assessed with non-parametric richness estimators, and attributes of the assemblage were evaluated. The species composition and the abundance distribution in each of the environmental units studied were compared using rank-abundance curves. The indicator value of each species was measured with the IndVal method. The relationship between richness, abundance, and environmental variables (temperature, precipitation, and relative humidity) was calculated by multivariate multiple regression analysis. A total of 3,356 adult individuals belonging to 29 species of the subfamily Scarabaeinae and to five species of Aphodiinae were captured. Dichotomius nisus (Olivier), Trichillum externepunctatum (Preudhomme), Canthon podagricus (Harold), Onthophagus hirculus (Mannerheim), Pseudocanthon aff. perplexus, Ontherus sulcator (Fabricius), and Ataenius platensis (Blanchard) were the most abundant. Diversity, species richness, and abundance were highest in the forest fragment and in spring and summer captures. Between 94% and 97% of the species present in the entire landscape were recorded. According to the analysis of similarity, the composition of the assemblage was different among habitats. Eurysternus caribaeus (Herbst), Eurysternus aeneus (Génier), and O. sulcator were indicators of the forest. In the three units, the coprophagous species represented more than 60% of the total species number. The rainfall regime, the temperature, and the heterogeneous use of the environmental units influenced the structure of dung beetle assemblages.

The impact of grazing on dung beetle diversity depends on both biogeographical and ecological context

AbstractAimWe analysed the effects of grazing on the diversity and structure of dung beetle communities to see whether the biogeographical and ecological contexts influence dung beetle responses. We hypothesized that the responses of dung beetle communities are modulated by both the ecological conditions resulting from the transformation of native vegetation into grazing areas, and the history of the species inhabiting different biogeographical provinces.LocationThe state of Hidalgo, in the Mexican Transition Zone, central Mexico.MethodsWe used a standardized hierarchical sampling procedure in three biogeographical provinces located in Hidalgo. Within each province, we identified the dominant vegetation types, and within these we identified the sites with native vegetation and those modified by grazing. The design included 800 baited pitfall traps, and allowed us to study the response of dung beetle communities with different biogeographical histories to ecological context.ResultsWe captured 8707 beetles belonging to 37 species and 17 genera in the subfamily Scarabaeinae. We found that grazing areas only had a negative effect on dung beetle diversity in tropical forest; conversely, in dry environments (pine–oak forest and xerophilous scrubland) diversity in grazing areas was higher than in the native vegetation sites. We did not detect a clear effect in cloud forest sites. Species turnover between the native vegetation and pastures was high locally, and low over larger spatial scales (vegetation type or biogeographical province). In all four vegetation types grazing was associated with differences in dung beetle community composition.Main conclusionsThe impact of grazing on dung beetle diversity is dependent to a considerable degree on the local ecological conditions and the biogeographical context that has shaped the composition of communities over time.

PanamanianOnthophagus(Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae): Description of a New Species, and a Revised Key to the Species

A new Panamanian species of scarab beetle of the subfamily Scarabaeinae, Onthophagus cambrai sp. nov., is described and illustrated. The character states of this species do not allow it to be placed in a known species-group of the New World. A revised key to the 26 species known from Panama is presented.