Dung beetles (Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) attracted to carrion in Ghana, West Africa and evidence for adult food source plasticity

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17159/2254-8854/2023/a12593

Keywords:

carrion beetles, Ghana, food plasticity, Scarabaeidae, Upper Guinean Forests

Abstract

A study on dung beetles attracted to carrion using baited pitfalls was conducted in eight Upper Guinean wet and moist forest sites as well as one savannah site in Ghana, West Africa. A total of 42 species and 1380 individuals were collected from all sites. The highest diversity was found in the Shai Hills savannah with 19 species while the lowest total of only four species was collected in the Cape Three Points forest. The forest sites combined had seven unique species while the savannah locality had 12 unique taxa. Most carrion feeders belong to the genus Onthophagus; Onthophagus liberianus made up 23% of the total catch and together with the next nine most abundant species accounted for 78% of the specimens collected. Two dung beetle tribes of African savannah species not noted as carrion feeders were strongly attracted to vertebrate carrion and included a member of the Oniticellini, Latodrepanus caelatus (Gerst.) and the Onitini, Onitis cupreus Castelnau. Additionally, a forest species of Sisyphini, Neosisyphus angulicollis Felsche, that is uncommon on carrion was attracted to carrion in large numbers. For two species, Onthophagus liberianus and O. rufopygus, studied herein and previously in the Ivory Coast, the relative attractiveness of carrion and dung in each country varied greatly, demonstrating behavioral plasticity in food choice.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

References

Amézquita S, Favila ME. 2011. Carrion removal rates and diel activity of necrophagous beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae) in a fragmented tropical rain forest. Environmental Entomology 40(2): 239–246. https://doi.org/10.1603/EN10203.

Balthasar V. 1963. Monographie der Scarabaeidae and Aphodiidae der Palaearktischen und Orientalischen Region, Coleoptera: Lamellicornia, Coprinae (Onitini, Oniticellini, Onthophagini). Tschechoslowakische Akademie der Wissenschaften, Prague. 1963:137–226.

Brashares JS, Arcese P, Sam MK. 2001. Human demography and reserve size predict wildlife extinction in West Africa. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B 268(1484): 2473–2478. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2001.1815.

Colwell RK. 2009. EstimateS: Statistical estimation of species richness and shared species from samples. Version 8.2. [computer program]. https://purl.oclc.org/estimates.

Colwell RK, Mao CX, Chang J. 2004. Interpolating, extrapolating, and comparing incidence-based species accumulation curves. Ecology 85(10): 2717–2727. https://doi.org/10.1890/03-0557.

Cambefort Y. 1985. Les Coléoptères Scarabaeidae du Parc national de Taï (Côte d’Ivoire). Revue Francaise d’Entomologie 7: 337–342.

Cambefort Y. 1991a. From saprophagy to coprophagy. In: Hanski I, Cambefort C, editors. Dung Beetle Ecology. Princeton (New Jersey): Princeton University Press. p. 22–35. https://doi.org/10.1515/9781400862092.22.

Cambefort Y. 1991b. Dung beetles in tropical savannahs. In: Hanski I, Cambefort C, editors. Dung Beetle Ecology. Princeton (New Jersey): Princeton University Press. p. 156–178. https://doi.org/10.1515/9781400862092.156.

Cambefort Y, Walter P. 1991.Dung beetles in tropical forests in Africa. In: Hanski I, Cambefort C, editors. Dung Beetle Ecology. Princeton (New Jersey): Princeton University Press. p. 198–210. https://doi.org/10.1515/9781400862092.198.

Daniel G. 2020. Overview of the biology of the dung beetle tribe of Sisyphini (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae). Culna – Magazine of the National Museum, Bloemfontein, South Africa. https://nationalmuseumpublications.co.za/overview-of-the-biology-of-the-dung-beetle-tribe-of-sisyphini-coleoptera-scarabaeidae-scarabaeinae/

Davis ALV, Philips TK. 2005. Effect of deforestation on a Southwest Ghana dung Bbeetle assemblage (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) at the periphery of Ankasa Conservation Area. Environmental Entomology 34(5): 1081–1088. https://doi.org/10.1093/ee/34.5.1081.

Davis ALV, Philips TK. 2009. Regional fragmentation of rain forest in West Africa and its effect on local dung beetle assemblage structure. Biotropica. 41(2): 215–220. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-7429.2008.00472.x.

FAO and UNEP. 2020. The State of the World’s Forests 2020. Forests, Biodiversity and People. Rome https://doi.org/10.4060/ca8642en.

Forti LC, Rinaldi IMP, Camargo RS, Fujihara RT, Camargo R da S, Fujihara RT. 2012. Predatory behavior of Canthon virens (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae): A predator of leafcutter ants. Psyche: A Journal of Entomology 2012: 921465 https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/921465.

Dowsett-Lemaire F, Dowsett RJ. 2013. The birds of Shai Hills Resource Reserve, Ghana. Dowsett-Lemaire Miscellaneous Report 83: 1–12.

Favila M. 2001. Historia de vida y comportamiento de un escarabajo necrófago: Canthon cyanellus cyanellus LeConte (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae). Folia Entomologica Mexicana 40: 245–278.

Forgie SA, Grebennikov VV, Scholtz CH. 2002. Revision of Sceliages Westwood, a millipede-eating genus of southern African dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). Invertebrate Systematics 16(6): 931–955. https://doi.org/10.1071/IT01025.

Gámez G, Mora E, Acconcia R. 2006. Informaciones ecológicas sobre Coprophanaeus (Coprophanaeus) telamon nevinsoni Arnaud & Gamez (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae: Phanaeini) en un sector de selva húmeda submontana en mérida, Venezuela. Acta Zoológica Mexicana (n.s.) 22(3): 95–105.

Génier. F. 2009. Le genre Eurysternus Dalman, 1824 (Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae: Oniticellini), révision taxonomique et clés de détermination illustrées. [ResearchGate – 10.13140/RG.2.1.1627.9129]

Halffter G. 1991. Historical and ecological factors determining the geographical distribution of beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae). Folia Entomologica Mexicana 115: 195–238. https://doi.org/10.21426/B615110376.

Halffter G. 2003. Tribu Scarabaeini. In: Morón MA, editor. Atlas de los escarabajos de México. Vol. 2. Barcelona, Spain: Scarabaeidae, Trogidae, Passalidae y Lucanidae. Argania. p. 21–43.

Halffter G, Favila ME. 1993. The Scarabaeinae: an animal group for analyzing, inventorying and monitoring biodiversity in tropical rainforest and modified landscapes. Biology International. 27: 15–21.

Hanski I. 1983. Distributional ecology and abundance of dung and carrion-feeding beetles (Scarabaeidae) in tropical rain forests in Sarawak, Borneo. Acta Zoologica Fennica 167:1–45.

Hanski I. 1987. Nutritional ecology of dung- and carrion-feeding insects. In: Slansky F Jr, Rodrigues JG, editors. Nutritional Ecology of Insects, Mites and Spiders. Hoboken, NJ, USA: John Wiley and Sons. p. 837–884.

Hanski I, Cambefort Y, editors. 1991. Dung Beetle Ecology. Princeton, NJ, USA: Princeton University Press. p. 520. https://doi.org/10.1515/9781400862092.

Hanski I, Krikken J. 1991. South-East Asian Tropical Forests. In: Hanski I, Cambefort C, editors. Dung Beetle Ecology. Princeton (New Jersey): Princeton University Press. p. 179–210. https://doi.org/10.1515/9781400862092.179.

Hernández B, Maes JM, Harvey CA, Vílchez S, Medina A, Sánchez D. 2003. Abundancia y diversidad de escarabajos coprófagos y mariposas diurnas en un paisaje ganadero en el departamento de Rivas, Nicaragua. Agroforestry Américana 10: 93–102.

Janzen D. 1983. Seasonal change in abundance of large nocturnal dung beetles (Scarabaeidae) in a Costa Rican deciduous forest and adjacent horse pasture. Oikos 41(2): 274–283. https://doi.org/10.2307/3544274.

Klein BC. 1989. Effects of forest fragmentation on dung and carrion beetle communities in central Amazonia. Ecology 70(6): 1715–1725. https://doi.org/10.2307/1938106.

Krell F-T, Schmitt T, Linsenmair KE. 1997. Diplopod defensive secretions as attractants for necrophagous scarab beetles (Diplopoda -Insecta: Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). Entomologica Scandinavica Supplementum 51: 281–285.

Minnemeyer S. 2002. An Analysis of Access into Central Africa’s rainforests. Washington (DC): World Resources Institute.

Miraldo A, Wirta H, Hanski I. 2011. Origin and diversification of dung beetles in Madagascar. Insects 2(2): 112–127. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects2020112.

Mittermeier CG, Turner WR, Larsen FW, Brooks TM, Gascon C. 2011. Global biodiversity conservation: the critical role of hotspots. In: Zachos FE, Habel JC, editors. Biodiversity Hotspots: Distribution and Protection of Priority Conservation Areas. Berlin: Springer-Verlag. p. 3–22. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-20992-5_1.

Mongyeh ET, Philips TK, Kimbi HK, Fokam EB. 2018. Elevational and possible bushmeat exploitation effects on dung beetle (Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) communities on Mount Cameroon, West Central Africa. Environmental Entomology 47(5): 1072–1082. https://doi.org/10.1093/ee/nvy112.

Morón MA. 1979. Fauna de coleópteros lamelicornios de la estación de Biología Tropical “Los Tuxtlas”, Veracruz, UNAM, México. Anales del Instituto de Biología, UNAM. Serie Zoología 50: 375–454.

Morón, M.A. 1994. Fauna de Coleoptera: Lamellicornia en las montañas del noreste de Hidalgo, México. Acta Zoológica Mexicana (n. s.) 63: 7–59.

Morón MA, Caamal J, Canul O. 1986. Análisis de la entomofauna necrófila del área Norte de la Reserva de Biosfera “Sian Ka’an” Quintana Roo, México. Folia Entomologica Mexicana 69: 83–98.

Morón MA, Villalobos FJ, Deloya C. 1985. Fauna de coleópteros lamelicornios de Boca del Chajul, Chiapas, México. Folia Entomologica Mexicana 66: 57–118.

Miraldo A, Wirta H, Hanski I. 2011. Origin and diversification of dung beetles in Madagascar. Insects 2(2): 112–127. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects2020112.

Myers N, Mittermeier RA, Mittermeier CG, Da Fonseca GA, Kent J. 2000. Biodiversity hotspots for conservation priorities. Nature.403(6772): 853–858. https://doi.org/10.1038/35002501.

Panin S. 1957. Coleoptera Familia Scarabaeidae. Volume 10 Fauna Republicii Populare Romîne Insecta. Bucarest [ROM]: Academia Republicii Populare Romine.

Ratcliffe BC. 2013. The dung- and carrion-feeding scarabs (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea) of an Amazonian blackwater rainforest: Results of a continuous, 56-week, baited-pitfall trap study. Coleopterists Bulletin 67(4): 481–520. https://doi.org/10.1649/0010-065X-67.4.481.

Silva FAB, Hernández MIM, Ide S, Moura RC. 2007. Comunidade de escarabeíneos (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae) copro-necrófagos da Região de Brejo Novo, Caruaru, Pernambuco, Brasil. Revista Brasileira de Entomologia 51(2): 228–233. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0085-56262007000200014.

Stavert JR, Gaskett AC, Scott DJ, Beggs JR. 2014. Dung beetles in an avian-dominated island ecosystem: feeding and trophic ecology. Oecologia 176(1): 259–271. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-014-3001-z.

Young OP. 2006. Laboratory studies on the feeding behavior of the putative dung beetle, Ateuchus histeroides (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). Journal of the New York Entomological Society 114(3): 157–169. https://doi.org/10.1664/0028-7199(2007)114[157:LSOTFB]2.0.CO;2.

Vinson J. 1939. On the occurrence of two species of Sisyphis in Mauritius with description of a new species and the description of a new Adoretus from Reunion. Proceedings of the Royal Entomological Society of London B. 8: 33–38.

Vinson J. 1951. Le Cas de Sisyphes Mauriciens (Insectes Coleopteres). Royal Society of Arts and Sciences of Mauritius 1: 106–123.

Wirta H, Orsini L, Hanski I. 2008. An old adaptive radiation of forest dung beetles in Madagascar. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 47(3):1076–1089. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2008.03.010.

Downloads

Additional Files

Published

2023-05-10

How to Cite

1.
Philips TK, Sukhdeo CA, Peck SB. Dung beetles (Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) attracted to carrion in Ghana, West Africa and evidence for adult food source plasticity. Afr. Entomol. [Internet]. 2023 May 10 [cited 2024 Mar. 29];31. Available from: https://www.africanentomology.com/article/view/12593

Issue

Section

Articles