Trophic Associations Research Articles

Ecology of the larvae of xylophilic druid flies (Diptera, Clusiidae)

For the first time, the biotopic associations of xylophilic druid fly larvae (Diptera: Clusiidae) with decaying wood, habitat conditions in wood, and trophic associations have been described. The features of the formation of the clusiid community and its composition are considered. For the first time, detailed information is provided about the species of insects (Coleoptera, Diptera) co-occurring with the clusiids in rotten wood.

New data on trophic associations of dung beetles (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Scarabaeinae) and lemurs (Primates, Lemuroidea) in Madagascar revealed by metabarcoding.

Resource use and diet specialisation of Madagascan dung beetles have been little studied especially concerning the possible associations between specific dung beetle and lemur species. Pilot studies have demonstrated that amplicon sequencing is a promising tool for the lemur inventories. In the present contribution, we report the results of the gut content analysis of three endemic Madagascan dung beetles species: Helictopleurusclouei (Harold), Epilissusapotolamproides (Lebis) and Nanosdubitatus (Lebis). Amplicon metagenomics revealed trophic associations of these species with Eulemursanfordi (Archbold), Eu.fulvus (É.Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire) and Cheirogaleuscrossleyi (Grandidier), respectively. The reads of other mammal species, revealed by the analysis, including putative contaminations, are discussed.

Dung-beetles (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Aphodiinae, Scarabaeinae) feeding on faeces of steppe marmots Marmotabobak (Rodentia, Sciuridae) in Middle Volga territory.

In open terrestrial biomes of Holarctic realm, ground squirrels are recognised as keystone species inhabiting steppes. They shape the plant species composition and diversity and support a fauna of species associated with their burrows. Ground squirrels and associated dung-beetles are important elements of the steppe food webs, yet the trophic associations between species are still poorly studied. The area in the northern outskirts of Obshchy Syrt plateau, on the border of Samara and Orenburg Provinces of Russia was surveyed and scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae) feeding on steppe marmot (Marmotabobak (Müller, 1776)) faeces were collected from six localities. Twenty eight species of two subfamilies - Aphodiinae and Scarabaeinae, - were identified with the majority of species belonging the genus Aphodius Hellwig, 1798. Seven species are recorded as consumers of marmot faeces for the first time. Only two nidicolous specialist species were found which suggests that the studied population of steppe marmots is as result of the recent secondary colonisation and not all the associated scarab beetle faunas were re-established.

Redescription of Apanteles mimoristae (Hymenoptera, Braconidae), a parasitoid of the native pyralid cactus moth Melitara cf. nephelepasa in central Mexico

Novel trophic associations have sometimes resulted in fortuitous and significant biological control. After the invasion of North America by the South American cactus moth, Cactoblastis cactorum (Berg) (Pyralidae: Phycitinae), it is pertinent to characterize the assemblage of local natural enemies that could utilize this moth in new host-parasitoid associations. Herein we report on Apanteles mimoristae Muesebeck (Braconidae: Microgastrinae), a North American gregarious endoparasitoid wasp attacking the caterpillar of the phycitine cactus moth Melitara cf. nephelepasa (Dyar) (Pyralidae: Phycitinae, also known as zebra worm), also native to North America; both collected in Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. (Cactaceae) cultivated fields at rural areas of Mexico City. We provide an updated morphological account for A. mimoristae visualized with light microscopy and scanning electron microscope (SEM); a fragment of its cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene sequence data is reported for the first time. Additionally, we analyze its taxonomical position relative to other Apanteles species from the Americas including those attacking cactus-feeding moths. Our analyses place A. mimoristae (from Mexico) in a clade with A. esthercentenoae Fernández-Triana (from Costa Rica), a parasitoid of both Cromarcha stroudagnesia Solis (Pyralidae) and Palpita venatalis (Schaus) (Crambidae) (non cactus-feeding), and in a sister clade to A. opuntiarum Martínez & Berta (from Argentina) and A. alexanderi Brèthes (from Argentina and Uruguay), parasitoids of the cactus-feeding phycitines Cactoblastis and Tucumania respectively. Finally, we provide an updated key for the identification of Apanteles species recorded parasitizing cactus moth caterpillars in the American continent.

Survey on Drosophila suzukii and Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Drosophilidae, Tephritidae) and Associated Eucoilinae Species (Hymenoptera: Figitidae) in Northwestern Argentina. First Record of Dicerataspis grenadensis and Leptopilina boulardi as Parasitoids of D. suzukii.

The Southeast Asian-native Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) (Diptera: Drosophilidae), also known as "spotted-wing Drosophila," is one of the most globally invasive agricultural species. Although D. suzukii is a pest spread throughout all the Argentinian fruit-growing regions, few information has been published on its impact on local fruit production. Parasitoid species associated with D. suzukii in Argentina belong to Pteromalidae (Chalcidoidea), Diapriidae (Diaprioidea), both attacking host pupae, and Figitidae (Cynipoidea), which attack host larvae. Nine Eucoilinae (Figitidae) species, belonging to Dicerataspis, Dieucoila, Euxestophaga, Ganaspis, Hexacola, and Leptopilina genera, have been associated with D. suzukii in Argentina. Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), commonly known as "medfly," is native to Africa and has a worldwide distribution, covering many tropical, subtropical, and temperate regions. In Argentina, C. capitata has been associated with several native hymenopterous parasitoids belonging to Braconidae (Ichneumonioidea), Eulophidae (Chalcidoidea), Pteromalidae, Diapriidae, and Figitidae families. Only two eucoline species, Ganaspis pelleranoi (Brèthes) and Leptopilina haywardi (Blanchard) have been related to medfly in Argentina. We report new trophic associations between the parasitoids Dicerataspis grenadensis Ashmead and Leptopilina boulardi (Barbotin, Carton and Kelner-Pillault) and D. suzukii, and between the parasitoid Odontosema albinerve Kieffer and C. capitata, after surveys conducted in Tucumán, northwestern Argentina. An annotated checklist and a taxonomic key of Eucoilinae associated with both invasive pests, in Argentina, are also provided.

Decreased microbial phylogenetic diversity and community stability due to less bioavailable carbon and greater oxygen supply in Mollisols along a cultivation chronosequence

Soil microorganisms support multiple agroecosystem functions, but responses of the microbiome to prolonged agricultural land-use and underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. In this study, upland soils in the Mollisol region of Northeast China were selected along a 100-year cultivation chronosequence to examine the effects of intensive agriculture on the diversity, composition and co-occurrence network of bacterial and fungal communities. To elucidate the determinants driving the dynamics and interactions of microbial communities, the researchers quantified the functional groups and bioavailable fractions of soil organic carbon, and estimated the microenvironments including soil texture and oxygen availability. Our findings revealed that fungal diversity and community stability decreased over cultivation time, while that of bacteria showed a less significant decline. The increased oxygen availability and decreased soil carbon supply, particularly polyphenols, jointly drove the dynamics in the composition and stability of the microbial communities. Crucially, these microbial responses were significantly regulated by interspecific associations. Phylotypes showing stronger responses to changes in oxygen availability and carbon supply demonstrated a higher level of connectivity within co-occurrence networks, signifying their potential role as pivotal “hubs” in transmitting the environmental influences across the entire community via interspecific associations. Moreover, the decline in fungal diversity over longer cultivation periods could liberate more survival niches for bacterial species through fungi-bacteria associations, thereby bolstering the stability of the bacterial community. Overall, this study accentuates the pivotal role of trophic associations in facilitating the oxygen and carbon-induced succession of belowground microbiota in long-term cultivated Mollisols. In view of the agricultural intensification propelled by the increasing demand for crop production, these findings suggest strategies integrating improvements in soil structure and carbon with microbial processes to ensure the sustainability of agroecosystem functions.

Temperature-dependent trophic associations modulate soil bacterial communities along latitudinal gradients.

Understanding the environmental and biological mechanisms shaping latitudinal patterns in microbial diversity is challenging in the field of ecology. Although multiple hypotheses have been proposed to explain these patterns, a consensus has rarely been reached. Here, we conducted a large-scale field survey and microcosm experiments to investigate how environmental heterogeneity and putative trophic interactions (exerted by protist-bacteria associations and T4-like virus-bacteria associations) affect soil bacterial communities along a latitudinal gradient. We found that the microbial latitudinal diversity was kingdom dependent, showing decreasing, clumped, and increasing trends in bacteria, protists, and T4-like viruses, respectively. Climatic and edaphic drivers played predominant roles in structuring the bacterial communities; the intensity of the climatic effect increased sharply from 30°N to 32°N, whereas the intensity of the edaphic effect remained stable. Biotic associations were also essential in shaping the bacterial communities, with protist-bacteria associations showing a quadratic distribution, whereas virus-bacteria associations were significant only at high latitudes. The microcosm experiments further revealed that the temperature component, which is affiliated with climate conditions, is the primary regulator of trophic associations along the latitudinal gradient. Overall, our study highlights a previously underestimated mechanism of how the putative biotic interactions influence bacterial communities and their response to environmental gradients.

A new genus of the Araucarian-feeding tribe Oxycraspedini (Coleoptera: Belidae) from Eocene Baltic amber

ABSTRACTThe new genus, Bojebenzonia n. gen. and its species B. karinae n. sp. from the tribe Oxycraspedini (Belidae: Oxycoryninae) are described from late Eocene Baltic amber. Bojebenzonia differs from the genus Oxycraspedus by its tibiae lacking apical spurs, subparallel pronotal sides, weakly convex body, and wide tibiae. A list of fossil species of the subfamily Oxycoryninae and a key to tribes and subtribes of the subfamily Oxycoryninae are given. It is suggested that the new genus developed feeding on either the family Araucariaceae or Doliostrobaceae. Trophic associations of extant Oxycoryninae are briefly discussed.

DNA metabarcoding analysis of three material types to reveal Joro spider (Trichonephila clavata) trophic interactions and web capture

Introduced species alter established trophic interactions and molecular analysis can resolve changes in community structure and associated foraging links. Joro spiders (Trichonephila clavata) were recently introduced to the United States and their range is rapidly expanding across the east coast. Here, we used DNA metabarcoding of fecal samples, prey remains from webs, and dissected guts to compare diet composition of female Joro spiders in the southeastern United States. We amplified DNA from three material types using arthropod-targeted COI primers and sequenced with IIlumina MiSeq. Prey remains from webs had the highest diversity, richness, as well as the highest proportion of prey reads relative to Joro spider reads. Recovery of prey reads from fecal samples and dissected gut content was low and both were overwhelmed by Joro spider DNA. Although fecal samples and gut content had high proportions of Joro spider reads, fecal samples had higher prey diversity and richness. Moreover, we detected prey DNA from fecal samples several days after capture from the field, which reveals initial gut retention time estimates for fecal samples collected from web-building spiders. Combined, our results offer a first glimpse at the complexity of trophic associations for an introduced web-building spider and identify a viable material, prey remains from webs, as a source of prey DNA for estimates of biodiversity associated with web-building spiders.

Trophic Interactions of Ceutorhynchinae spp. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) with Their Host Plants (Brassicaceae) and Their Parasitoids in the Agroecosystem of Quebec, Canada.

The genus Ceutorhynchus Germar (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is composed of canola pests, natural enemies of Brassicaceae, and other species associated with non-crop and non-weed plants. This study aimed to establish trophic associations of Ceutorhynchus with their host plants and with their parasitoids in the agricultural landscape, in order to assess the actual beneficial or noxious ecological roles of the insects. Trophic associations were established by identifying Ceutorhynchus species and their parasitoids emerging from collected Brassicaceae plants in areas adjacent to canola fields and other crops in 2019 and 2020. Five Ceutorhynchus species were collected and identified as hosts of parasitoids in the families Pteromalidae and Eulophidae. Two functional groups were characterized: natural enemies of weeds and agricultural pests. The exotic wormseed wallflower, Erysimum cheiranthoides was identified as a new host plant of the invasive canola pest Ceutorhynchus obstrictus (Marsham), and the native tower rockcress, Arabis glabra, as a new host plant of the native Ceutorhynchus neglectus Blatchley. Association between the exotic Ceutorhynchus typhae (Herbst) and a parasitoid of the genus Elachertodomyia is reported for the first time. Finally, Ceutorhynchus neglectus and C. typhae hosted the exotic parasitoid Trichomalus perfectus, an important natural enemy of C. obstrictus.

Fruit Flies (Diptera: Tephritoidea) and Parasitoids (Hymenoptera) Associated with Native Fruit Trees in the Chaco Biome.

Fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritoidea) are the main pests over important fruits and vegetables. In this research was evaluated the tritrophic interactions of fruit flies and their parasitoids occurring in native fruits in the Chaco Biome. Fruit sampling was carried out monthly in three areas of vegetation communities in Chaco Biome: Forested Steppic Savanna, Wooded Steppic Savanna, Park Steppic Savanna, Porto Murtinho-MS, Brazil, from April 3, 2017, to November 16, 2018 (totaling 20 samples). Fruits of 33 plant species were examined for fruit flies and parasitoids from these three Chaco locations. Sixteen species of fruit plants were infested by 11 species of fruit flies: five species of Anastrepha Schiner (Tephritidae): Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann), Anastrepha obliqua (Macquart), Anastrepha sororcula Zucchi, Anastrepha turpiniae Stone, Anastrepha zenildae Zucchi, and six of Neosilba McAlpine (Lonchaeidae): Neosilba bifida Strikis and Prado, Neosilba certa (Walker), Neosilba glaberrima (Wiedemann), Neosilba inesperata Strikis and Prado, Neosilba pendula (Bezzi), Neosilba zadolicha McAlpine and Steyskal. Three species of parasitoids: Doryctobracon areolatus (Szepliget) and Utetes anastrephae (Viereck) (Braconidae) parasitized Anastrepha spp., and Aganaspis pelleranoi (Figitidae) parasitized Neosilba spp. All fruit flies and parasitoid species reported here are new records for the Chaco Biome. Furthermore, the following trophic associations are new records worldwide: Anastrepha obliqua in Sideroxylon obtusifolium; Anastrepha zenildae, Neosilba inesperata, and Neosilba zadolicha in Eugenia myrcianthes; Anastrepha fraterculus, Anastrepha sororcula, Neosilba pendula, and Neosilba inesperata in Campomanesia adamantium; Anastrepha spp. in Garcinia gardneriana and Agonandra brasiliensis.

Use of an Arboretum and DNA Barcoding for the Detection and Identification of Leaf-Mining Insects on Alien Woody Plants

Arboreta serve as effective tools for identifying alien insect pests and novel trophic associations. In this study, we used an arboretum in Slovenia to survey woody plants and identify both alien and native leaf miners. The leaves and twigs of 50 woody plant species and their cultivars were examined for characteristic damage. We used an integrative approach that combined identification based on leaf mines and DNA barcoding of the larvae and pupae found in the mines. In total, 62 leaf-mining species were identified, including eight alien species, of which the heliozelid Coptodisca lucifluella (Clemens, 1860) and the agromyzid Cerodontha unisetiorbita Zlobin, 1992 were documented for Slovenia for the first time. Additionally, three presumably native Gracillariidae moths Phyllocnistis labyrinthella (Bjerkander, 1790), P. ramulicola Langmaid & Corley, 2007 and P. saligna (Zeller, 1839) represented the first record for Slovenia. Furthermore, we documented 23 novel-to-science trophic associations, 20 of which involved native insects and alien woody plants, primarily from Asia. This study highlights the importance of arboreta and botanical gardens for the interception of invasive alien insects and the early detection of trophic shifts of native insects to alien plants, which can aid in predicting their potential spread.

Naturalisation of the Transcaucasian and East Anatolian darkling beetle Odocnemis aurichalcea (Adams, 1817) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae: Helopini) in the North Caucasus

The present state of the invasive population of Odocnemis aurichalcea (Adams, 1817) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) in North Caucasus is studied. This species is widespread in Transcaucasia and has entered Nalchik and Nartkala towns (North Caucasus, Kabardino-Balkaria, Russia) possibly during urban greening where it is mentioned in these localities since at least the middle of the 20th century. Nothing was known about the status of this invasive population for 54 years. A rich population of this species was discovered in the outskirts of Nalchik in a natural beech forest in 2022. The species is naturalized in the North Caucasus, but inhabits only a very narrow, isolated range in this region. Diurnal activity, the response of adults to high temperature and humidity, habitat and trophic associations, and current distribution of the species in the North Caucasus are assessed. Taxocenes of tenebrionids from the tribe Helopini, including O. aurichalcea, were described. We establish that imagoes of the species occupy a narrower ecological niche in the invasive range under natural conditions, than in the native range, inhabiting exclusively beeches and feeding on algae of the genus Desmococcus F. Brand, 1925 (Chlorophyta: Trebouxiophyceae).

Assessing individual movement, habitat use, and behavior of non-breeding marine birds in relation to prey availability in the US Atlantic

Resource availability is a key factor driving marine bird movements and distributions, but direct information on prey availability is difficult to obtain at relevant scales. We present novel methods for describing multi-scale trophic associations, combining movement analyses of marine birds with estimates of forage fish surface aggregations from digital aerial survey data and species occupancy from bottom trawl survey data. We analyzed satellite telemetry data from northern gannets Morus bassanus, red-throated loons Gavia stellata, and long-tailed ducks Clangula hyemalis in the US Atlantic during the non-breeding period. Using discrete-time hidden Markov models to distinguish area-restricted (i.e. putative foraging) from transit movements, we examined how environmental factors influence movement, and how forage fish species distributions and surface aggregations influence habitat use by gannets and loons that have greater dietary reliance. Our results suggest that chlorophyll a concentration significantly affected movement behavior across species, highlighting the importance of higher-productivity areas around estuaries during colder months when regional productivity is low. Though variable across species and seasons, spatial cross-correlation analysis revealed that herring species (Family Clupeidae), including Atlantic menhaden Brevoortia tyrannus, may be important resources; it also showed positive spatial correlations with forage fish aggregations. This suggests that prey patch dynamics and factors driving aggregation formation may be as important as species composition. However, spatial patterns were generally low (<0.3), suggesting a mismatch in spatiotemporal resolution, exemplifying the challenges in quantifying trophic relationships in marine systems. Disentangling predator-prey relationships is critical to understanding the mechanisms driving marine bird behavior in rapidly changing marine systems.

Trophic networks associated with the aphid, Rhopalosiphum maidis (Fitch) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) in a cornfield, Manabí, Ecuador

The corn leaf aphid is considered an important pest associated with maize. This study aimed to discover the trophic associations around Rhopalosiphum maidis in Manabí, Ecuador. Maize leaves were sampled to determine the numbers of parasitized aphids, and the identities of predators and parasitoids. Nine taxa of natural enemies were detected: the primary parasitoid was Lysiphlebus testaceipes Cresson, 1880 (Hymenoptera: Braconidae); the hyperparasitoid Syrphophagus aphidivorus (Mayr, 1876) (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae); the predatory hoverfly Ocyptamus dimidiatus (Fabricius, 1781) (Diptera: Syrphidae), four species of coccinellids, Cheilomenes sexmaculata (Fabricius, 1781), Cycloneda sanguinea (Linnaeus, 1763), Hippodamia convergens Guerin-Meneville, 1842 and Paraneda pallidula guticollis (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) and an assassin bug, Zelus sp. (Hemiptera: Reduviidae). A parasitoid, Pachyneuron formosum Walker, 1833 (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) emerged from hoverfly pupae. This study reports the presence of the parasitoids S. aphidivorus and P. formosum in Ecuador for the first time. These results increase the knowledge of a four-trophic level relationship (host plant – pest – parasitoids, predators – hyperparasitoids) in a maize agroecosystem as a fundamental basis for biological control programs.

Anatomy and histology of the digestive tract and immunolocalization of Npy (orexigenic peptide) in the fish Cichlasoma dimerus (Cichliformes: Cichlidae)

Introduction: The digestive tract of Neotropical cichlids has not been deeply studied, and it is a fundamental topic for understanding fish physiology, nutrition, trophic associations, and evolution. Objective: To describe anatomically and histologically the digestive tract of the Neotropical cichlid fish Cichlasoma dimerus and to immunolocalize the orexigenic peptide (Npy) along the intestine. Methods: We euthanized 14 adult individuals and fixed the organs in Bouin´s solution; we stained 7 μm thick paraffin sections for general description and with Alcian Blue (pH = 2.5, AB) and Periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) to identify acid or neutral glycoconjugates, respectively. Additionally, 3 adult individuals to immunohistochemistry for Npy, we manually counted PAS- and AB-positive cells, and Npy-immunoreactive cells per fold. Results: There is a short oesophagus, a sac-like stomach, and a tubular intestine with two loops. The oesophagus has a stratified epithelium with a high density of PAS- and AB-positive goblet cells and striated muscle fibes in the tunica muscularis. The stomach mucosa is formed by simple columnar epithelium. The intestine has a simple columnar epithelium, with brush border and interspersed PAS- and AB-positive goblet cells, and Npy-immunoreactive cells. There is an ileorectal valve in the transition between the posterior intestine and the rectum. This last gut portion has goblet cells and a thicker tunica muscularis. Conclusions: C. dimerus shares features with other Neotropical cichlids, but the goblet cells and gastric glands distribution seems to be unique for the species. To our understanding, this is the first work to describe Npy-immunoreactive cells distribution in the intestine of a Neotropical cichlid fish.

Mutualistic associations between aphids and aphid-attending ants registered in Serbia

Aphids and ants are relatively well faunistically studied in Serbia. However, there is a need to present the mutualistic associations between these two groups of insects, since there is not sufficient information on this topic for the territory under investigation. In total, 220 samples of plant-aphid-ant associations were included in this study. In 59 localities from all parts of Serbia, 32 ant taxa were registered and connected with 74 identified aphid taxa. The most frequently collected ant species found attending various aphid species were Lasius niger (L.), L. alienus (Foerster) and Prenolepis nitens (Mayr). The most common aphid species was Aphis fabae Scopoli collected on 27 plant species. The trophic associations are presented as a list of ant taxa followed with aphids and their host plants.

Eukaryotic Parasites Are Integral to a Productive Microbial Food Web in Oxygen-Depleted Waters.

Oxygen-depleted water columns (ODWCs) host a diverse community of eukaryotic protists that change dramatically in composition over the oxic-anoxic gradient. In the permanently anoxic Cariaco Basin, peaks in eukaryotic diversity occurred in layers where dark microbial activity (chemoautotrophy and heterotrophy) were highest, suggesting a link between prokaryotic activity and trophic associations with protists. Using 18S rRNA gene sequencing, parasites and especially the obligate parasitic clade, Syndiniales, appear to be particularly abundant, suggesting parasitism is an important, but overlooked interaction in ODWC food webs. Syndiniales were also associated with certain prokaryotic groups that are often found in ODWCs, including Marinimicrobia and Marine Group II archaea, evocative of feedbacks between parasitic infection events, release of organic matter, and prokaryotic assimilative activity. In a network analysis that included all three domains of life, bacterial and archaeal taxa were putative bottleneck and hub species, while a large proportion of edges were connected to eukaryotic nodes. Inclusion of parasites resulted in a more complex network with longer path lengths between members. Together, these results suggest that protists, and especially protistan parasites, play an important role in maintaining microbial food web complexity, particularly in ODWCs, where protist diversity and microbial productivity are high, but energy resources are limited relative to euphotic waters.

Helops glabriventris glabriventris (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), One of the Primary Consumers of Corticolous Lichens in the Coniferous Forests of Cyprus: Bionomics, Trophic Associations and Description of Larvae

We present the life history and trophic relations of the lichenophagous darkling beetle Helops glabriventris glabriventris Reitter, 1885 (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae: Helopini), which is widespread in Cyprus. Adults of H. glabriventris feed primarily on Pseudevernia furfuracea (L.) Zopf (Parmeliaceae), which is the most widespread fruticose corticolous lichen in Cypriot forests of Pinus brutia Tenore, Cedrus brevifolia (Hook. f.) Meikle and Pinus nigra J.F. Arnold and Anatolian forests of Pinus brutia. Additionally, they can feed on the crustose corticolous lichen Hypocenomyce scalaris (Ach.) M. Choisy (Lecideaceae) as an alternative trophic source. We described and illustrated the last instar larva of this species, collected in the rotten wood of Pinus nigra. Fossorial adaptations of larvae are discussed and compared with other representatives of the tribe Helopini.

Dung beetle community assemblages in a southern African landscape: niche overlap between domestic and wild herbivore dung.

Dung beetles provide important ecosystem functions in semiarid environments, improving the physiochemical characteristics of the soil through tunnelling and burying nutrient-rich dung. In sub-Saharan Africa, diverse indigenous mammal communities support highly abundant dung beetle populations in savannah ecosystems. However, the conversion of landscapes to livestock agriculture may result in changes in the abundance and diversity of wild mammal species. This is likely to have significant impacts on dung beetle communities, particularly because domestic livestock dung may be contaminated with toxic residues of veterinary parasiticides. The environmental impact is likely to be affected by the degree of niche overlap between the beetle communities that colonize cattle dung and those that colonize the dung of wild mammals. We compared dung beetle communities between a pristine national park habitat dominated by large wild herbivores, and a pastoral farming community dominated by domestic livestock. Diurnal dung beetles were attracted to cattle dung in greater abundance and diversity compared to elephant, zebra or giraffe dung. Nocturnal/crepuscular dung beetles were attracted to non-ruminant dung (elephant and zebra) in higher abundance compared to ruminant dung (cattle and giraffe). Although there were no clear trophic specializations, three diurnal species showed an association with cattle dung, whereas eight nocturnal/crepuscular species showed an association with non-ruminant (elephant and zebra) dung. Diurnal species may be at greater risk from the toxic effects of residues of veterinary parasiticides in domestic livestock dung. Although many species showed trophic associations with wild herbivore dung, these beetles can utilize a wide range of dung and will readily colonize cattle dung in the absence of other options. As more land is converted to livestock agriculture, the contamination of dung with toxic residues from veterinary parasiticides could therefore negatively impact the majority of dung beetle species.