Preference for Amazonian Tapir (Tapirus terrestris) Feces and Dung Beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) in Amazonian Secondary Forest

Andrés Tapia

Articles

Vol. 14 No. 17 (2005)

Preference for Amazonian Tapir (Tapirus terrestris) Feces and Dung Beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) in Amazonian Secondary Forest

Andrés Tapia^▸^▾

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Submitted: 1 July 2025
Published: 2005-06-01

Abstract

The importance of the Amazonian tapir (Tapirus terrestris Linnaeus) in the ecosystem can be demonstrated by understanding the animal-plant, animal-animal, and animal-environment relationships. The Tapir-Beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) relationship falls within this context. The abundant fecal matter excreted by the tapir, the largest terrestrial mammal in the Neotropics, provides dung beetles with a suitable environment for the formation of their nest balls and the development of their life cycle. This study aims to determine, by using tapir feces as bait for dung beetle traps, the beetles' preference for this food and the importance of the tapir in their life cycle in two areas: Disturbed (DD) and Medium Disturbed (MD) of Amazonian secondary forest. For comparison, sampling was also carried out with traps using carrion as bait. Thirteen beetle species were found feeding on both types of bait: 7 species were exclusive to tapir feces, and 6 were common to feces and carrion. The most abundant species found in tapir feces was Ontherus sp. 119 individuals of 13 species were found in the moderately disturbed area, and 20 individuals of 4 species were found in the disturbed area. It is important to compare the two areas because it gives us an idea of how tapirs contribute to the dung fauna even in areas altered by anthropogenic intervention (forests with selective logging, regenerating secondary forests, grasslands, etc.).

References

Anduaga, S., y Halffter, G. 1991. Escarabajos asociados a madrigueras de roedores (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae, Scarabaeinae). Folia Entomológica Mexica 81: 185-197.
Bodmer, R. E. 1990. Fruit patch size and frugivory in the lowland tapir, Tapirus terrestris. Journal of Zoology 222: 121-128.
Bustos-Gómez, L. F., y Lopera, A. 1999. Preferencia por cebo de los escarabajos coprófagos (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) de un remanente de Bosque Seco Tropical al Norte de Tolima. Escarabajos de Latinoamérica 3: 59-65.
Cañadas, L. 1983. El mapa Bioclimático y Ecológico del Ecuador. MAG-PRONAREG. Banco Central del Ecuador. Quito, Ecuador.
Chabaud A. G. y Bain, O 1981. Description of Spirobakerus weitzeli new genus new species and remarks on spirocercial nematodos. Annales de Parasitologie Humaine et Comparee, 56: 73-80.
Chabaud, A. G. 1957. Revue critique es nematodos du genre Quelonia et du genre Murshidia. Annales de Parasitologie Humaine et Comparee, 32:98-131.
da Cunha, M. 1918. Sobre os ciliados intestinaes dos mammiferos. Brasil-Medico, 32:161.
da Cunha, M. y Muniz, J. 1925. Contribution to the knowledge of ciliata parasitic in Mammalia of Brazil. Sciencia Medica, 3: 740-747.
Emmons, L. 1999. Mamíferos de los bosques húmedos de América Tropical. Editorial F.A.N. Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia.
Escobar, F. y Medina. C. A. 1991 Coleopteros coprófagos (Scarabaeidae) de Colombia: Estado actual de su conocimiento. Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt. Cali, Colombia.
Favila, M. y Halffter, G. 1997. The use of indicator groups for measuring biodiversity as related to community structure and function. Acta Zoológica 72: 1-25
Halffter, G. 1959. Etología y Paleontología de Scarabaeinae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). Ciencia 29: 164-178
Halffter, G., Halffter, V, y Huerta, C. 1980. Mating and nesting behavior of Eurysternus (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae). Quaestiones Entomologicae 16: 599-620
Locarno, L. C. 1997. Registros y Notas Ecológicas Preliminares de los Escarabajos (Col, Scarabaeoidea). XXIV Congreso de la Sociedad Colombiana de Entomología. Pereira, Colombia.
Martinez, A. 1951. Scarabaeidae nuevos o poco conocidos II. Misión Est. Pat. Reg. Arg. 222 (80): 23-36.
Melendrez, M y Vogel, J. 2000. Los impactos de las emisiones y fijaciones del dióxido de carbono y el metano en un bosque secundario en la Amazonía del Ecuador. Centro Tecnológico de Recursos Amazónicos de la OPIP. Puyo, Ecuador.
Morón, I. 1984. Escarabajos estercoleros del Ecuador. Brigada Ecológica. Quito, Ecuador.
Padilla, M. y Dowler, R. 1994. Tapirus terrestris. Mammalian species 481: 1-8
Sandoval. L. F. 2004. Abundancia relativa del Tapir Amazónico (Tapirus terrestris) en una gradiente de intervención humana en el Parque Nacional Yasuní, Amazonía Ecuatoriana. Tesis de grado. Universidad Central del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador.
Tapia, M. 1999. Guía para el manejo, cría y conservación del Tapir. Centro Tecnológico de Recursos Amazónicos. Puyo, Ecuador.
van Waerebeke, D. 1988. Probstmayria tapiri, new species, parasitic nematode of a tapir from the New World. Bulletin du Museum National d`Histoire Naturelle. Section A. Zoologie, Biologie, et Ecologie Animales, 10:3-8.

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Keywords

Interspecific relationships
Lowland tapirs
Dung bettles

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How to Cite

Tapia, A. (2005). Preference for Amazonian Tapir (Tapirus terrestris) Feces and Dung Beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) in Amazonian Secondary Forest. Tapir Conservation, 14(17), 24-28. http://www.tapirconservation.org/index.php/tc/article/view/76

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[1] Anduaga, S., y Halffter, G. 1991. Escarabajos asociados a madrigueras de roedores (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae, Scarabaeinae). Folia Entomológica Mexica 81: 185-197.

[2] Bodmer, R. E. 1990. Fruit patch size and frugivory in the lowland tapir, Tapirus terrestris. Journal of Zoology 222: 121-128.

[3] Bustos-Gómez, L. F., y Lopera, A. 1999. Preferencia por cebo de los escarabajos coprófagos (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) de un remanente de Bosque Seco Tropical al Norte de Tolima. Escarabajos de Latinoamérica 3: 59-65.

[4] Cañadas, L. 1983. El mapa Bioclimático y Ecológico del Ecuador. MAG-PRONAREG. Banco Central del Ecuador. Quito, Ecuador.

[5] Chabaud A. G. y Bain, O 1981. Description of Spirobakerus weitzeli new genus new species and remarks on spirocercial nematodos. Annales de Parasitologie Humaine et Comparee, 56: 73-80.

[6] Chabaud, A. G. 1957. Revue critique es nematodos du genre Quelonia et du genre Murshidia. Annales de Parasitologie Humaine et Comparee, 32:98-131.

[7] da Cunha, M. 1918. Sobre os ciliados intestinaes dos mammiferos. Brasil-Medico, 32:161.

[8] da Cunha, M. y Muniz, J. 1925. Contribution to the knowledge of ciliata parasitic in Mammalia of Brazil. Sciencia Medica, 3: 740-747.

[9] Emmons, L. 1999. Mamíferos de los bosques húmedos de América Tropical. Editorial F.A.N. Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia.

[10] Escobar, F. y Medina. C. A. 1991 Coleopteros coprófagos (Scarabaeidae) de Colombia: Estado actual de su conocimiento. Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt. Cali, Colombia.

[11] Favila, M. y Halffter, G. 1997. The use of indicator groups for measuring biodiversity as related to community structure and function. Acta Zoológica 72: 1-25

[12] Halffter, G. 1959. Etología y Paleontología de Scarabaeinae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). Ciencia 29: 164-178

[13] Halffter, G., Halffter, V, y Huerta, C. 1980. Mating and nesting behavior of Eurysternus (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae). Quaestiones Entomologicae 16: 599-620

[14] Locarno, L. C. 1997. Registros y Notas Ecológicas Preliminares de los Escarabajos (Col, Scarabaeoidea). XXIV Congreso de la Sociedad Colombiana de Entomología. Pereira, Colombia.

[15] Martinez, A. 1951. Scarabaeidae nuevos o poco conocidos II. Misión Est. Pat. Reg. Arg. 222 (80): 23-36.

[16] Melendrez, M y Vogel, J. 2000. Los impactos de las emisiones y fijaciones del dióxido de carbono y el metano en un bosque secundario en la Amazonía del Ecuador. Centro Tecnológico de Recursos Amazónicos de la OPIP. Puyo, Ecuador.

[17] Morón, I. 1984. Escarabajos estercoleros del Ecuador. Brigada Ecológica. Quito, Ecuador.

[18] Padilla, M. y Dowler, R. 1994. Tapirus terrestris. Mammalian species 481: 1-8

[19] Sandoval. L. F. 2004. Abundancia relativa del Tapir Amazónico (Tapirus terrestris) en una gradiente de intervención humana en el Parque Nacional Yasuní, Amazonía Ecuatoriana. Tesis de grado. Universidad Central del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador.

[20] Tapia, M. 1999. Guía para el manejo, cría y conservación del Tapir. Centro Tecnológico de Recursos Amazónicos. Puyo, Ecuador.

[21] van Waerebeke, D. 1988. Probstmayria tapiri, new species, parasitic nematode of a tapir from the New World. Bulletin du Museum National d`Histoire Naturelle. Section A. Zoologie, Biologie, et Ecologie Animales, 10:3-8.