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Habitat specificity and food preferences of an assemblage of tropical Australian dung beetles

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2009

Christopher J. Hill
Christopher J. Hill
Affiliation:
Cooperative Research Centre for Tropical Rainforest Ecology and Management, Department of Zoology, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia 4811
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Abstract

Two dung beetle assemblages from rainforest and open forest in the wet tropics of north-eastern Australia are described. The fauna was sampled using flight intercept traps, baited pitfall traps and light traps, with flight intercept traps being the most effective sampling technique. Dung beetle species were found to be highly habitat specific with a switch from rainforest to open forest assemblages occurring over tens of metres. The majority of the fauna was active at night. The most abundant species were attracted to a variety of food types but several species appeared to specialize on either dung or mushrooms.

Keywords

dung beetlefood preferencefunctional grouphabitat specificityrainforestScarabaeidaeScarabaeinae
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Tropical Ecology , Volume 12 , Issue 4 , July 1996 , pp. 449 - 460
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1996

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