ABSTRACT Temperature affects the body size of animals, which is an important trait in natural and sexual selection. Insects do not have complex mechanisms of temperature control, thus temperature changes affect their life aspects, from enzymatic reactions to behavior. The amount of fat stored by insects is also influenced by temperature and constitutes a tissue with biosynthetic and metabolic activity, acting as an energy reservoir. We assessed the effect of environmental temperature due to elevation and seasonal temperature variations on body size and condition of two dung beetles species: Canthon rutilans cyanescens and Dichotomius sericeus (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae). Both species are abundant in southern Brazilian forests, but they differ in habits: the first is a diurnal roller whereas the later is a nocturnal tunneler. Summer months and sites with lower elevations and higher temperatures presented larger C. rutilans cyanescens. A linear relationship exists between body size and soil temperatures, whereas the temperature positively influences the body length. Furthermore, C. rutilans cyanescens from cooler sites had more body fat. Individuals of D. sericeus were also larger in summer months, however, we did not find differences in the proportion of fat or a relation between body size and temperature. Thus, the body size of dung beetle species varies in relation to temporal factors, as both species are larger in summer. More interesting was to observe that the species with a diurnal habit, even though smaller in colder places, has a higher proportion of fat, which indicates an evolutionary response to environmental pressure.

Resumo: Objetivos Descrever a diversidade de estágios imaturos de Odonata (Insecta) em riachos de uma ilha subtropical no sul do Brasil e investigar a influência de preditores ambientais sobre a composição de suas comunidades. Métodos Onze riachos de baixa ordem (entre 1ª e 3ª ordem) foram amostrados em duas unidades de conservação localizadas na ilha de Santa Catarina entre 2010 e 2012. Indivíduos imaturos de Odonata foram coletados com amostrador tipo Surber. A influência de parâmetros abióticos da água e da estrutura de habitat dos riachos (mesohabitats: trechos de corredeira vs. remanso; microhabitats: substratos folhiço vs. pedra) sobre a variação sazonal da composição de Odonata foi testada através de diagramas de ordenação e análise de redundância. Resultados Nove gêneros pertencentes a sete famílias de Odonata foram registrados na região de estudo. Os gêneros Desmogomphus, Epigomphus (Gomphidae), Heteragrion (Heteragrionidae) e Perilestes (Perilestidae) são registrados pela primeira vez no estado de Santa Catarina. Adicionalmente, novas anotações biológicas em relação ao uso do habitat são registradas para outros gêneros. A composição das comunidades de Odonata variou sazonalmente e foram influenciadas pela temperatura da água e vazão. Adicionalmente, a composição da fauna diferiu significativamente entre trechos de corredeira e remanso e entre tipos de substrato nos riachos amostrados. Conclusões A menor riqueza de gêneros de Odonata registrada na ilha de Santa Catarina em relação a outros riachos subtropicais brasileiros deve estar relacionada à condição insular da região de estudo. Além disso, este estudo demonstrou que os tipos de substrato (orgânicos e inorgânicos) e de mesohabitat (corredeira e remanso) foram importantes preditores ambientais da composição da fauna de imaturos de Odonata, evidenciando a influência do clima e da estrutura de habitat sobre as comunidades de insetos de riachos subtropicais.

Abstract: Aim Describe the diversity of immature stages of Odonata (Insecta) in streams from a subtropical island in southern Brazil and investigate the influence of environmental variables on the composition of their assemblages. Methods Eleven low-order streams (1st to 3rd order) were sampled in two conservation units located in the island of Santa Catarina (southern Brazil) between 2010 and 2012. Immature specimens of Odonata were collected using a Surber sampler. The influence of water abiotic parameters and habitat structure (mesohabitats: riffle vs. pool areas, microhabitats: litter vs. stone substrates) on the composition of Odonata was tested through the seasons using ordination diagrams and redundancy analysis. Results Nine odonate genera from seven families were recorded in the study region. The genera Desmogomphus, Epigomphus (Gomphidae), Heteragrion (Heteragrionidae) and Perilestes (Perilestidae) have their first records described for the state of Santa Catarina. Additionally, biological notes are provided for other odonate genera concerning substrate use. The composition of Odonata communities changed over the seasons and they were influenced by water temperature and velocity. Additionally, odonate composition differed significantly between microhabitats (substrate type) and mesohabitats (riffle vs. pool areas) in the streams studied. Conclusions The lower genera richness of Odonata recorded in the island of Santa Catarina in relation to other Brazilian subtropical streams is probably associated with the insular condition of the study region. This study also demonstrated that substrate (organic and inorganic) and mesohabitat (riffle and pool) types were important drivers of the composition of the fauna of immature odonates, evidencing the role of climate and habitat structure in influencing subtropical stream insect communities.

ABSTRACT Knowing the biodiversity of dung beetles in agricultural and livestock environments is the basis for understanding the contribution that these organisms make in nutrient cycling and ecosystem functions. The aim of the present study was to investigate the structure of copronecrophagous dung beetle communities inhabiting the main agroecosystems in southern Brazil and correlate the presence of these organisms with soil properties. From December 2012 to April 2013, samples of dung beetles were taken in the municipality of Tubarão, Santa Catarina, Brazil (28° 28’ S; 48° 56’ W) in corn, bean, and sugarcane crops, and in cattle pastures. Beetles were captured in 16 sampling sites, four from each agroecosystem, following a standardized methodology: 10 baited pitfall traps (feces and rotting meat) at a spacing of 50 m with exposure for 48 h. The beetles were identified, weighed, and measured. Soil analyses were performed in order to correlate data on organic matter, texture, macro and micronutrients, and pH with data on the abundance of beetle species using canonical correspondence analysis. A total of 110 individuals belonging to 10 species of dung beetles was found. Twenty-four individuals from seven species (with total biomass of 2.4 g) were found in the corn crop; five individuals from three species (1.8 g) were found in the bean crop; 81 individuals from nine species (30.3 g) were found in cattle pasture areas; and lastly, there were no dung beetles recorded in the sugarcane crop. In areas of cattle grazing, the tunnelers Dichotomius nisus and Trichillum externepunctatum correlated positively with organic matter content, whereas the roller species Canthon chalybaeus correlated positively with soil texture, preferring sandier soils. In corn crop areas, D. nisus was again correlated with organic matter content. Paracoprid dung beetle species were correlated with organic matter content in the soil, and species belonging to the roller functional group were associated with soil texture in the corn crop, preferring sandy soils. Information regarding the relationship of dung beetles with physical-chemical soil properties may be an important strategy for increasing fertility and management of soil conservation in agroecosystems.

ABSTRACT The Brazilian Atlantic Forest is one of the world's biodiversity hotspots, and is currently highly fragmented and disturbed due to human activities. Variation in environmental conditions in the Atlantic Forest can influence the distribution of species, which may show associations with some environmental features. Dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae) are insects that act in nutrient cycling via organic matter decomposition and have been used for monitoring environmental changes. The aim of this study is to identify associations between the spatial distribution of dung beetle species and Atlantic Forest structure. The spatial distribution of some dung beetle species was associated with structural forest features. The number of species among the sampling sites ranged widely, and few species were found in all remnant areas. Principal coordinates analysis indicated that species composition, abundance and biomass showed a spatially structured distribution, and these results were corroborated by permutational multivariate analysis of variance. The indicator value index and redundancy analysis showed an association of several dung beetle species with some explanatory environmental variables related to Atlantic Forest structure. This work demonstrated the existence of a spatially structured distribution of dung beetles, with significant associations between several species and forest structure in Atlantic Forest remnants from Southern Brazil.

Os Scarabaeidae consomem fezes e carcaças de grandes vertebrados. Comunidades de escarabeídeos foram comparadas entre áreas de Mata e Tabuleiro da Reserva Biológica Guaribas, Mamanguape, Paraíba. As amostragens foram realizadas mensalmente durante o período de Novembro/2001 a Abril/2002 em áreas de Tabuleiro e Mata. Para coleta dos insetos foram utilizadas 24 armadilhas pitfall iscadas, 12 em cada área, sendo seis iscadas com fezes humanas e seis com fígado apodrecido. Na área de Mata foram coletados 15 espécies e 1298 indivíduos. Na área de Tabuleiro, 25 espécies e 2235 indivíduos. Onze espécies ocorrem conjuntamente nos dois ambientes, sendo 14 registradas apenas para o Tabuleiro e 4 para a Mata. Dichotomius sericeus (Harold, 1867) foi a espécie mais abundante nas duas áreas. A área de Tabuleiro apresentou maior riqueza, entretanto a Mata apresentou maior dominância. O compartilhamento de espécies comuns entre a Mata e o Tabuleiro confere a estes ambientes similaridade moderada.

Diversity of Scarabaeidae s. str. (Coleoptera) in the Reserva Biológica Guaribas, Mamanguape, Paraiba, Brazil: a comparison between Atlantic Forest and northeast's Tabuleiro. Scarabaeid beetles consume dung and carcasses of large vertebrates. Guilds of scarabeids were compared between Forest and Tabuleiro at the Reserva Biológica Guaribas, Mamanguape, in the state of Paraíba. Samples were collected monthly from November 2001 to April 2002 in Forest and Tabuleiro. Insects were collected by using 24 pitfall-traps, 12 in each area, with six traps baited with human excrement and six with rotten liver. Fifteen species and 1298 specimens were collected in the Forest and 25 species and 2235 specimens in the Tabuleiro. Eleven species occurred in both areas, whereas 14 were found only in the Tabuleiro and four in the Forest. Dichotomius sericeus (Harold, 1867) was the most abundant species in the two areas. The Tabuleiro was the most species-rich; however dominance was greatest in the Forest. The presence of common species in the two studied areas confers a moderate similarity to the forest and Tabuleiro habitats.

Este estudo objetivou levantar preliminarmente os escarabeíneos copro-necrófagos da região de Brejo Novo, Caruaru, Pernambuco, e verificar aspectos da estrutura da comunidade como sazonalidade, diversidade, equitabilidade, riqueza e abundância das espécies. Foram realizadas 10 coletas, com intervalos de 30 dias e duração de 48 horas, de setembro de 2003 a julho de 2004. Utilizaramse 24 armadilhas de queda, com dois tipos de isca, fezes humanas e carne bovina em estado de putrefação. Foram coletados 1.540 indivíduos pertencentes a seis tribos, 12 gêneros e 28 espécies. As espécies Canthon af. carbonarius, Canthon chalybaeus, Dichotomius nisus, D. semisquamosus, Digitonthophagus gazella e Eurysternus hirtellus aparentemente são as mais adaptadas ao ambiente estudado. Foram coletados 826 indivíduos em armadilhas iscadas com fezes humanas e 714 em carne bovina apodrecida. Ocorreu um número maior de espécies consideradas "raras" (15), sendo três destas "singletons", duas "doubletons" e 10 com abundância entre três e 10 indivíduos, 13 espécies foram consideradas "comuns". Das espécies analisadas, sete apresentaram hábitos alimentares generalistas, quatro são estritamente coprófagas e uma estritamente necrófaga. Foram verificadas correlações positivas entre a precipitação mensal e a abundância e a riqueza de espécies. O levantamento preliminar das espécies de Scarabaeinae da região de Brejo Novo contribuiu para aumentar o número de espécies registradas para o estado de Pernambuco e região Nordeste do Brasil.

This paper reports the results of the preliminary survey of copro-necrophagous dung beetles of Brejo Novo region, Caruaru, Pernambuco, as well as some aspects of the community structure such as seasonality, diversity, equitability, richness and abundance of species. Ten samplings with intervals of 30 days and duration of 48 hours, fortnightly were done between September 2003 to July 2004. Scarab beetles were collected with 24 pitfall traps baited with two types of baits, human excrements and rotting bovine meat. A total of 1,540 individuals belonging to six tribes, 12 genera and 28 species were collected. The species Canthon af. carbonarius, Canthon chalybaeus, Dichotomius nisus, D. semisquamosus, Digitonthophagus gazella and Eurysternus hirtellus are, apparently, adapted to the studied environment. Traps baited with human excrements attracted 826 individuals and those with rotting bovine meat attracted 714 specimens. Large number of species (15) considered "rare" occurred, being three of them "singletons", two "doubletons" and 10 with abundance between three and 10 individuals; 13 species were considered "common". Of the analyzed species, seven present generalist alimentary habits, four are strictly coprophagous and one is strictly necrophagous. Positive correlations were verified between the precipitation and the abundance of the individuals and the species richness. This preliminary survey of the dung beetles of the Brejo Novo region contributed to increase the number of species registered for Pernambuco and northeast region of Brazil.

Os insetos da família Scarabaeidae se alimentam da matéria orgânica em decomposição, participando ativamente da ciclagem de nutrientes. C. ensifer é um necrófago de grande porte que ocorre em áreas de florestas tropicais. Este estudo teve por objetivo conhecer o padrão sazonal da espécie neste ambiente e avaliar a atratividade das iscas utilizadas. Foram realizadas 13 coletas entre os meses de Dezembro/98 e Dezembro/99 na Mata do Buraquinho, um remanescente de Mata Atlântica em João Pessoa, PB. Foram coletados 71 espécimes usando armadilhas com quatro tipos de isca: 35 em carne de porco, 22 em rim bovino e 14 indivíduos em carne bovina, não havendo diferenças significativas entre as iscas em relação a sua atratividade para com os insetos. Não foi coletado nenhum espécime em fígado bovino. A abundância mensal esteve diretamente correlacionada com a precipitação (r s=0,65; p<0,05) e com a umidade (r s=0,55; p<0,05) e inversamente com a temperatura (r s=-0,70; p<0,01). Os espécimes somente foram coletados entre os meses de Abril a Setembro, coincidindo com o período chuvoso na região, o que corrobora o padrão sazonal da espécie.

Insects of the family Scarabaeidae feed on organic matter in decomposition, participating actively in biogeocycling of nutrients. C. ensifer is a large-sized necrophagous beette that occurs in tropical forests. In the present work we aimed to record some ecological characteristics of this species regarding the seasonality and bait attractivity. Thirteen samples were performed between December/1998 and December/1999 in the Mata do Buraquinho, a remnant of the Atlantic Forest in João Pessoa, PB. Seventy-one specimens were captured in four baited pitfall traps: 35 on pork meat, 22 on kidney, and 14 on bovine meat. There was no significant difference among the baits with respect to their stimuli for attracting the insects. No specimens of C. ensifer were trapped on baits of liver. The monthly abundance of insects is positively correlated the precipitation (r s=0,65; p<0,05) and humidity (r s=0,55; p<0,05) and inversely with temperature (r s=-0,70; p<0,01). The specimens were collected only from April to September, within the rainy period, an aspect that corroborates the seasonal pattern of occurrence.

In the present study 387 dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) were surveyed at the Serra do Japi, in the Atlantic Forest in São Paulo State, with four baited pitfall traps during the months of December, 1998, and January, 1999 during eight 24 hour cycles. A total of 30 species were identified and temporal variation in activity patterns among the species shows a specialization in the use of food resources: 9 species were classified as nocturnal and 13 as diurnal. The daily activity pattern of dung beetles does not necessarily correspond to the taxonomic classification, but is strongly related to the colouring of species, determined by predominant elytra colour: nocturnal species have 89 % more chances of being black as opposed to colourful. Black nocturnal species might have evolved as an interspecific adaptation to avoid predation (cryptic colouring). Among the colourful diurnal dung beetles, measure of body length of each species shows that development of bright colouring was more often found in medium to large species, which suggests that colouring evolved as a response to intraspecific pressures, important in agonistic encounters among males.