A Comparison Of Dung Beetle Diversity In Pasture Versus Forest

 

 

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Table 1: Morphotypes and associated behaviors of dung beetles at four study sites.

Habitat Study Site Morphotype

Of beetle

 Number Observed Behaviors Observed
Pasture 1 A 9 S, H, P, F, D, R
Pasture 1 B 4 J, S, H,
Pasture 2 None observed 0 ---
Forest 1 A 8 J, S, H, F, D, R,V
Forest 1 B 3 H, P, F,V
Forest 1 C 1 S, F, D, R
Forest 1 D 1 S, F, D, R
Forest 1 E 1 F, D, R
Forest 1 GRB 1 H, M
Forest 2 A 2 S, F, D, A, V, B
Forest 2 B 1 S, H
Forest 2 C 2 S, H, F, D, R, A*, T, V, B
Forest 2 E 5 S, F, D, R, T*
Forest 2 F 1 T
Forest 2 GRB 2 H, M

 

Key to Behavior Codes:

J= rejecting: leaves dung pile soon after arrival with no apparent dung usage

S= surveying: walks around and over dung pile for a period of time

H= hiding: retreats under dung pile indefinitely (tunneling?)

P= pausing: a period of inactivity

F= formation: patting and molding of dung into a spherical shape

D= detachment: final separation of formed ball from dung pile

R= rolling: pushes or pulls ball away from dung pile with legs over obstacles

A= abandoning: leaves a ball of dung unattended indefinitely (*or is killed while rolling ball)

T= theivery: steals dung ball from another beetle (*or adopts abandoned ball)

M= murder: attempts to murder dung beetle by leg amputation and/or removal of internal fluids

V= victim: attacked by Green Rove Beetle (GRB)

B= beetlecide: mortally mutilated by GRB