A revision of the endemic south-western African dung beetle subgenus Scarabaeus (Pachysoma) MacLeay, including notes on other flightless Scarabaeini (Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae)

Harrison, J. du G.; Scholtz, Clarke H.; Chown, Steven L.

doi:10.1080/713834683

Cited by 22 publications

(41 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…Thirty percent of the Canthonini are flightless, and most are found in tropical or subtropical stable habitats (Scholtz, 2000). Secondary loss of flight is widespread in the Scarabaeidae and is polyphyletic within the Scarabaeini (Harrison, 1999). Flightless members of the subfamily, from the genus Pachysoma, occur in the West Coast deserts of southern Africa, and look superficially similar to C. bacchus.…”

Section: Role Of Subelytral Cavity In Water Conservationmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of the subelytral spiracles in respiration in the flightless dung beetle Circellium bacchus

Byrne

Duncan

2003

Journal of Experimental Biology

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SUMMARY The role of the subelytral cavity in flightless beetle species as an adaptation to water saving in arid habitats is still in dispute. We found that relatively little CO2 was released from the subelytral cavity of a large apterous beetle Circellium bacchus during simultaneous measurements of CO2 emission from the anterior mesothoracic spiracles and posterior body, which included the subelytral spiracles. However, when we sampled air directly from inside the subelytral cavity, we discovered that this pattern was reversed. A discontinuous gas exchange cycle(DGC) was recorded from the posterior body half, revealing a flutter phase that had been absent from the anterior mesothoracic DGC. The anterior mesothoracic and posterior subelytral spiracles act in synchrony to maintain high CO2 and water vapour levels inside the subelytral cavity. In addition, the O2 concentration of the air within the subelytral cavity is lower than the air around the elytral case, irrespective of the time of sampling. These findings lead us to conclude that the subelytral spiracles work in a coordinated fashion with the anterior spiracles to create a DGC,which allows us to extend the hypothesis of the function of the subelytral cavity as a respiratory water-saving device.

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Section: Role Of Subelytral Cavity In Water Conservationmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of the subelytral spiracles in respiration in the flightless dung beetle Circellium bacchus

Byrne

Duncan

2003

Journal of Experimental Biology

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“…The behavior of the male and the male-female relationships are, together with the presence or absence of brood care, the elements that introduce differences in the reproductive processes of the species in both genera. In only one of the subgenera of Scarabaeus: Pachysoma MacLeay, endemic to the deserts in southwestern Africa, brood balls are not made; a completely exceptional behavior in a Scarabaeinae, a group in which using the food ball, the female elaborates one or more brood balls or brood masses in which she will lay her eggs (for lack of nesting in Scarabaeinae see López-Alarcón et al 2009; for the behavior of Scarabaeus (Pachysoma) see Scholtz 1989;Harrison et al 2003: Scholtz et al 2004.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Food relocation and the nesting behavior in Scarabaeus and Kheper (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae)

Halffter

Favila

2011

AZM

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Halffter, G., V. Halffter & M. E. Favila. 2011. Relocalización de alimento y comportamiento de nidificación en Scarabaeus y Kheper (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae). Acta Zoológica Mexicana (n. s.), 27(2): 305-324. RESUMEN. En los últimos años se ha avanzado mucho en el conocimiento de las relaciones intersexuales y los comportamientos de nidificación de Scarabaeus Linnaeus y Kheper Janseen. En este trabajo, utilizando toda la literatura publicada, aunada a observaciones inéditas, se analizan en detalle las interacciones intrasexuales e intersexuales durante los periodos de alimentación, cópula y nidificación en ambos géneros. En conjunto quedan definidos dos tipos de comportamientos: 1) El que hemos llamado tipo sacer cuyos rasgos más característicos son la ofrenda por el macho de una bola prenupcial que la hembra consume, pero no utiliza para la nidificación; más tarde, con el ovario ya maduro, la hembra puede nidificar sola sin nuevas cópulas ni apoyo del macho. 2) El que se presenta en numerosas especies africanas de Scarabaeus y Kheper, en las que la hembra copula con distintos machos, pero una vez desarrollado el ovario el proceso de nidificación es una actividad conjunta entre un macho y la hembra, fabricando la hembra con la bola rodada y enterada una o varias bolas-nido que reciben cuidados postoviposición. Aunque la casi totalidad de las hembras que nidifican almacenan en su espermateca espermatozoides de cópulas anteriores con otros machos, la permanencia del último macho durante el proceso de nidificación parece estar asociada a un incremento de su paternidad, al ser el último macho en copular con la hembra y evitar la intromisión de otros machos. Palabras clave: Comportamiento del apareamiento y nidificación, competencia espermática, Scarabaeus, Kheper, escarabajos del estiércol, Scarabaeinae. Halffter, G., V. Halffter & M. E. Favila. 2011. Food relocation and the nesting behavior in Scarabaeusand Kheper (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae). Acta Zoológica Mexicana (n. s.), 27(2): 305-324. ABSTRACT. In recent years much has been learned about the intrasexual relationships and nesting behavior of Scarabaeus Linnaeus and Kheper Janseen. In this study, based on the published literature, as well as our unpublished observations, the intra-and intersexual relationships during periods of feeding, copulation and nesting are analyzed in detail for both genera. We define two types of behavior: 1) One that we refer to as the sacer type, the most characteristic traits of which are the male offering the female a prenuptial ball of dung which she consumes but does not use for nesting; later when the ovary is mature ISSN 0065-1737 Acta Zoológica Mexicana (n.s.), 27(2): 305-324 (2011) Recibido: 19/03/2010 aceptado: 17/01/2011. Halffter et al.: Food relocation and nesting in Scarabaeus and Kheper 306the female can nest alone without copulating again and without the support of the male. 2) That which occurs in several African species of Scarabaeus and Kheper where the female copulates with different males, but once the ovary...

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“…It has evolved independently many times in different Scarabaeoidea groups (Scholtz 2000). In the Scarabaeinae, examples include aptery evolving independently at least three times within Scarabaeini (Harrison and Philips 2003,) and twice in Epactoides (Canthonini) (Wirta and Montreuil 2008).…”

Section: Phylogenymentioning

confidence: 99%

Phylogeny of the African ball-rolling dung beetle genus Epirinus Reiche (Coleoptera:Scarabaeidae:Scarabaeinae)

Mlambo

Sole

Scholtz

2011

Invert. Systematics

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Abstract. Recent phylogenetic analyses have pointed to the dung beetle genus Epirinus as the putative African ancestral roller group. Consequently, we tested the roller status of species in the genus with observational studies and constructed a molecular phylogeny based on partial sequences of two mitochondrial and two nuclear genes for 16 of 29 species. Tested species were confirmed to be dung rollers. Monophyly of the genus was confirmed, lending support to the synonymy of the wingless genus Endroedyantus with Epirinus. Moreover, the phylogenetic hypothesis was found to have a similar topology with a previously published one based on morphological data. A combined molecular/morphology analysis showed congruence between the molecular and morphological datasets. The loss of flight in some species and estimated divergence dates within Epirinus are discussed.

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A revision of the endemic south-western African dung beetle subgenus Scarabaeus (Pachysoma) MacLeay, including notes on other flightless Scarabaeini (Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae)

Cited by 22 publications

References 13 publications

The role of the subelytral spiracles in respiration in the flightless dung beetle Circellium bacchus

The role of the subelytral spiracles in respiration in the flightless dung beetle Circellium bacchus

Food relocation and the nesting behavior in Scarabaeus and Kheper (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae)

Phylogeny of the African ball-rolling dung beetle genus Epirinus Reiche (Coleoptera:Scarabaeidae:Scarabaeinae)

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