Arquivo de Interesse econômico -

Optimizing sampling protocols: is it feasible to collect predatory beetles (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae and Carabidae) using dung beetle (Scarabaeinae) traps in soybean fields and native vegetation areas in Brazil?

Mila Massuda — Mon, 05 Oct 2026 19:58:22 +0000

RESUMO: Optimizing sampling protocols can improve data reliability while reducing sampling effort. As sampling methods for dung beetles are well established, testing their efficiency for other key beetle groups, such as Carabidae and Staphylinidae, may help refine sampling approaches. Both groups are widely distributed, sensitive to environmental changes, and effective bioindicators that can be readily sampled using pitfall traps. Although optimal sampling protocols have been proposed, particularly for Carabidae, the effectiveness of baited traps remains uncertain. This study evaluated the richness, abundance, and composition of predatory beetles captured in pitfall traps with and without human-feces bait in native vegetation and soybean croplands. Sampling was conducted at 44 points across farms in Mato Grosso, Brazil. At each point, two transects were established with baited and unbaited pitfall traps. We found differences in richness, abundance, and community composition between trap types, with more staphylinid species captured in baited traps and more carabid species in unbaited traps. Bait use may enhance Staphylinidae capture, whereas unbaited traps may favor Carabidae. These findings highlight the importance of taxon-specific sampling protocols for beetle diversity assessments and environmental monitoring.

doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/01650521.2026.2737239

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When Resources Become Limited: Trophic Niches Shift From Generalism to Specialization in Dung Beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae)

Mila Massuda — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 21:24:25 +0000

RESUMO: Resource availability and predictability can shape trophic organization in ecological communities. In livestock pastures, cattle dung represents a highly abundant and predictable trophic subsidy for dung beetles, potentially promoting generalist foraging strategies. Here, we test how cattle exclusion affects trophic organization in dung beetle assemblages in the Brazilian Pantanal. We compared dung beetle richness, abundance, assemblage composition, and trophic classification between cattle-grazed and ungrazed pastures (<20 years of cattle exclusion) using carrion and cattle dung as bait resources. Species richness and abundance did not differ between bait types in either system. However, dung beetle assemblages differed significantly between carrion and dung baits only in ungrazed pastures. In grazed pastures, assemblages were dominated by trophic generalists, whereas ungrazed pastures showed increased trophic specialization, including shifts of four species from generalist to specialist classifications following cattle exclusion. These findings indicate that predictable trophic subsidies homogenize trophic structure by promoting broad resource use, whereas resource limitation restores trophic differentiation and niche partitioning. Our results demonstrate how changes in resource availability can reorganize trophic interactions in decomposer communities and potentially alter patterns of functional complementarity in ecosystems.

doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/aec.70286

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Assemblage structure and ecological functions of dung beetles in exotic pastures in the Southwestern Amazon

Mila Massuda — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 19:55:00 +0000

RESUMO: The implementation of exotic pastures in the Amazon causes drastic negative impacts on its biodiversity. Nevertheless, some species with the ability to colonize pastures may provide important ecosystem services for livestock development in tropical pastures, as in the Amazonian biome. In this study, we evaluated the diversity and assemblage structure of dung beetles, as well as measured their ecological functions (i.e., dung removal and soil excavation) in exotic pastures in the Southwestern Amazon. Dung beetles were sampled using pitfall traps baited with fresh cattle dung, and their ecological functions were measured using experimental arenas during the rainy season. A total of 123 individuals were collected, belonging to five genera and nine species of dung beetles. Dung beetle assemblage had more species of small to medium body size (<8 mm), with only two species classified as large-bodied. Large and small telecoprids were the most abundant functional groups. The mean (±SE) values for dung removal and soil excavation were 10.9±2.33 g and 15.2±4.22 g, respectively. These findings indicate that only a limited number of dung beetle species are able to colonize exotic pastures in the Southwestern Amazon, predominantly those of small to medium body size, which leads to a reduction of key ecological functions in these environments.

doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42690-026-02019-7

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Low-intensity pasture management sustain dung beetle taxonomic and functional diversity in Cerrado/Caatinga transition zones

Mila Massuda — Thu, 20 Aug 2026 21:16:16 +0000

RESUMO: Increasing grazing pressure for food production is a major challenge for biodiversity conservation in tropical dryland, particularly in ecologically complex transition zones that harbor substantial global biodiversity. Despite their high conservation value, the effects of grazing management on biodiversity in drylands remain poorly understood. We investigated how land-use intensity and local environmental metrics influence both taxonomic and functional diversity of dung beetles in native habitats and pastures under contrasting management intensities within a Cerrado–Caatinga transition zone in Brazil. Species richness was significantly higher in native areas and low-intensity pastures than in high-intensity pastures. Vegetation heterogeneity negatively affected the abundance of small- and medium-sized dung beetles in native areas and high-intensity pastures, while exerting positive effects in low-intensity pastures. Soil sand content showed contrasting effects on functional richness, increasing it in low-intensity pastures but reducing it in high-intensity pastures. Although dung beetle species composition differed among land-use types, low-intensity pastures shared a substantially greater number of species with native habitats than high-intensity pastures. Implications for insect conservation Our results demonstrate that low-intensity pasture management sustains both taxonomic and functional diversity of dung beetles and enhances habitat permeability for species originating from native environments. Promoting less intensive grazing practices in dryland transition regions can therefore represent an effective strategy to reconcile livestock production with insect conservation and the maintenance of key ecosystem services.

doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10841-026-00811-x

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Reproductive Potential and Life Cycle of the Dung Beetle Dichotomius (Selenocopris) nisus (Olivier, 1789) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) Allows Population Reinforcement in Livestock Pastures

Mila Massuda — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 02:28:48 +0000

RESUMO: Dichotomius nisus (Olivier, 1789) is a large tunneler dung beetle with potential relevance for ecological restoration and livestock management in Brazilian pastures through its capacity to reduce cattle dung accumulation. This study examined its reproductive biology in the laboratory under ambient temperature and light conditions to assess the feasibility of ex situ breeding for future population reinforcement programs. The study commenced in October 2023 and concluded in January 2025 and was conducted using four males and five females collected from pastures in southern Brazil. Ex situ reproduction was simple and consistent, with the production of five brood balls, which had an average diameter of 37.9 ± 3.59 mm and an average weight of 25.9 ± 3.28 g. The duration of the different developmental stages was four days from egg to larva, 56 days from larva to pupa, and 21 days from pupa to adult. Thus, the total developmental time from egg to adult was 82 ± 0.6 days, with reproductive activity occurring from spring to summer (November to March). Maximum adult longevity reached 207 days in the parental generation and 284 days in the F1 individuals. These findings highlight the reproductive capacity of D. nisus, underscoring its suitability for population reinforcement in livestock landscapes in Brazil. Such an approach offers a sustainable strategy for manure recycling, improving soil function, and increasing environmental quality without relying on chemical inputs

doi: https://doi.org/10.1649/0010-065X-80.2.199

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Adelita Maria Linzmeier

Silvia Altoé Falqueto — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 18:14:38 +0000

Universidade Federal da Fronteira Sul (UFFS), Campus Realeza. Realeza, PR.

Universidade Federal da Fronteira Sul (UFFS), Campus Realeza – PR

Coleção Entomológica UFFS-RE.

Sistemática e biologia de Chrysomelidae, com ênfase em Alticini, incluindo descrição de espécies, estágios imaturos e história natural, além de levantamentos faunísticos e curadoria de coleção.

Eixo: Taxonomia, Interesse Econômico.

Lattes

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First record of Aleochara (Aleochara) lustrica Say (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, and its parasitoidism on Microcerella halli (Engel, 1931) (Diptera: Sarcophagidae)

Silvia Altoé Falqueto — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 20:58:46 +0000

RESUMO: Parasitoids of the genus Aleochara play an important role in the natural regulation of cyclorrhaphous Diptera of medical and veterinary relevance, many of which are associated with decomposing substrates and are of forensic importance. Aleochara (Aleochara) lustrica Say, 1832 (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) is distributed across the Americas but, despite records from several Brazilian states, had not previously been reported from Rio Grande do Sul, and its host associations remain poorly documented. In this study, we report the first occurrence of A. (A.) lustrica in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, extending its known southern distribution limit in the Americas. Field sampling was conducted between April and May 2025 at the Pelotas – Visconde da Graça Campus (IFSul), using poultry liver as bait to attract ovipositing flies. Pupae recovered from the substrate were reared individually under controlled laboratory conditions. Among 178 field-collected sarcophagid pupae, 61 (34.26%) were parasitized, yielding nine adult specimens of A. (A.) lustrica. Although parasitized puparia were morphologically highly consistent with Microcerella halli (Engel, 1931) (Diptera: Sarcophagidae), species-level host identification for field-parasitized pupae could not be formally confirmed and is therefore conservatively interpreted at the family level (Sarcophagidae). Laboratory assays confirmed M. halli as a suitable host for A. (A.) lustrica, representing the first confirmed association between this parasitoid and a sarcophagid fly under controlled conditions. These findings expand current knowledge of the geographic distribution and host range of A. (A.) lustrica and document a previously unreported interaction of relevance to ecological, veterinary, and forensic entomology.

doi: https://doi.org/10.1590/1806-9665-RBENT-2025-0112

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A close relationship: Euwallacea fornicatus (Eichhoff, 1868) haplotype H22 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) and Ricinus communis L. (Euphorbiaceae) in Brazil

Silvia Altoé Falqueto — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 20:36:13 +0000

RESUMO: Euwallacea fornicatus (Eichhoff, 1868) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae), the polyphagous shot hole borer (PSHB), is native to Asia and it has been recorded in Argentina (2023), Brazil (2024), and recently in Uruguay and Türkiye (2025), among other regions of the world. We document, for the first time, E. fornicatus on castor bean, Ricinus communis L. (Euphorbiaceae), in Brazil, which also represents the first record on this host for South America. A molecular phylogenetic analysis of PSHB from castor bean across Brazil, based on mitochondrial gene cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) sequences, revealed a single haplotype (H22) in South America. We recorded PSHB on castor bean in 28 municipalities from five Brazilian states. Our results highlight the importance of including R. communis in PSHB monitoring programs.

doi: https://doi.org/10.37486/2675-1305.ec08008

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New record of Cyrtobagous salviniae Calder & Sands, 1985 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) from southeastern Brazil with comments on its dispersal among freshwater ponds

Silvia Altoé Falqueto — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 20:31:21 +0000

RESUMO: Cyrtobagous salviniae Calder & Sands, 1985 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is a weevil native to South America and distributed worldwide as a biocontrol agent of aquatic weeds of the genus Salvinia Ség. Native populations and aspects of this weevil biology, such as dispersal mechanisms, are still poorly known, especially in southeastern Brazil. Here, we report the first record voucher-based of C. salviniae for the state of Minas Gerais, which not only extends its distribution westward in the southeastern region, but also documents the dispersal of individuals among freshwater ponds via mats of Salvinia auriculata Aubl. displaced during a regional river flood, and briefly discuss the ecological importance of such processes.

doi: https://doi.org/10.37486/2675-1305.ec08007

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Effect of Digitonthophagus gazella on taxonomic diversity and functional traits of native dung beetles in Brazilian introduced pastures

Silvia Altoé Falqueto — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 20:15:29 +0000

RESUMO: Invasive species can alter ecosystem processes, disrupt food webs, and cause significant economic and health-related impacts. Digitonthophagus gazella, an African dung beetle introduced globally for pasture improvement, exemplifies the ecological risks of biological invasions. In South America, its assisted introduction and subsequent invasion led to significant declines, with some species becoming locally extinct. We aimed to investigate how the abundance (total, females, and males) and morphological traits (body size and horn size) of D. gazella relate to native dung beetle assemblage metrics, including abundance and species richness of the overall assemblage and functional groups. Additionally, we examined how both D. gazella and native dung beetle variables respond to fine-scale climatic conditions in Brazilian pastures where the species has been introduced. Sampling took place over 52 weeks (April 2020–March 2021) in the Cerrado–Pantanal transition zone in Aquidauana, midwestern Brazil, covering both dry and rainy seasons. Our results indicate that the presence of D. gazella was not associated with changes in the overall temporal distribution of native dung beetles, but it was associated with lower abundance of endocoprid species. Native dung beetle abundance increased with temperature, while humidity reduced the total abundance of D. gazella and its females. Temperature also had a positive effect on D. gazella males. Overall, climatic factors were more influential than the presence of D. gazella in driving trait-based filtering of native species over time. The D. gazella case highlights how invasive species can restructure native assemblages, outcompete similar species, and potentially alter ecosystem functions like dung removal and nutrient cycling.

doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-026-03777-8

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