Environmental correlates of darkling beetle population size (Col. Tenebrionidae) on the Cañadas of Teide in Tenerife (Canary Islands)

Temporal and spatial patterns of tenebrionid beetle diversity in NW Patagonia, Argentina

“…Temperature variables such as mean monthly range and annual mean are thought to be positively related to abundance and density of tenebrionid beetles (Botes et al, 2007;de los Santos et al, 2002;de los Santos et al, 2006;Koivula et al, 1999;Mazía et al, 2006;Sinclair and Chown, 2005;Stapp, 1997). Similarly, humidity is involved in water balance and larval development, which in turn can affect tenebrionid communities (de los Santos et al, 2002;de los Santos et al, 2006;Krasnov et al, 1996). However, the environmental variables in our study did not show a clear latitudinal variation, which might explain the lack of correlation between species composition and the environmental gradient.…”

“…We expected to find an environmental gradient effect on beetle assemblages (de los Santos et al, 2006;Koivula et al, 1999;Mazía et al, 2006;Sinclair and Chown, 2005;Stapp, 1997), but there was little correlation between the measured environmental variables and the spatial ordination of species. Temperature variables such as mean monthly range and annual mean are thought to be positively related to abundance and density of tenebrionid beetles (Botes et al, 2007;de los Santos et al, 2002;de los Santos et al, 2006;Koivula et al, 1999;Mazía et al, 2006;Sinclair and Chown, 2005;Stapp, 1997). Similarly, humidity is involved in water balance and larval development, which in turn can affect tenebrionid communities (de los Santos et al, 2002;de los Santos et al, 2006;Krasnov et al, 1996).…”

Thermal habitat and life history of two congeneric species of darkling beetles (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) on Tenerife (Canary Islands)

“…The high darkling beetle abundance at different times of year and their overlap in habitat use suggests that these two species provide functional redundancy in their roles as detritivores in the Canarian ecosystems (Thomas, 1979;de los Santos et al, 2002a). Nevertheless, the fact that peak seasonal abundance and distribution along elevational gradient differs between the two species suggests that each have important functional roles in these semi-arid ecosystems.…”

“…Darkling beetle populations have adaptation syndromes to live in arid and semi-arid ecosystems and their life histories are linked to hot seasons in those areas with fluctuating climates (Brun, 1970;Knor, 1975;Allsopp, 1980a;de los Santos et al, 1988). Adult emergence, individual vagility, and population sizes are all related with the environmental temperature (Nicolson et al, 1984;Whicker and Tracy, 1987;Parmenter et al, 1989;Crist and Wiens, 1995;de los Santos et al, 2002a).…”

Trophic relations of Opatrum sabulosum (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae) with leaves of cultivated and uncultivated species of herbaceous plants under laboratory conditions

“…If a particular species of insect feeds on one particular species of grass, it is quite easy to control its numbers in agricultural conditions (Fattorini 2011; Jia et al 2013). The situation is much more difficult with polyphages potentially able to feed on many species of fodder plants (Whicker and Tracey 1987; Crawford 1988; Rogers et al 1988; De Los Santos et al 2002). Opatrum sabulosum (Linnaeus, 1761), a member of the Tenebrionidae family, is a pest species with a wide range of consumption preferences.…”