Dung beetles (coleoptera-scarabaeidae-coprinae) of the thar desert of Rajasthan and Gujarat

Abstract

Scarabaeidae (Coprinae) form one of the largest beetle families in the world, and are economically important because of their significant roles in pasture ecosystem dynamics and environmental health. They process large amounts of animal dung into nodules or balls, and roll these into subterraneous chambers or tunnels where they are degraded, thereby increasing soil fertility. In so doing, the beetles destroy the habitats of larvae of many pests of domestic animals, including flies which lay their eggs in the dung. Some beetle species are intermediate hosts for parasites of domestic and wild animals. The present paper provides identification keys for the tribes, genera and species of the subfamily Coprinae, as well as a systematic account and synonyms for all 12 genera and 85 species and their distributions in the Thar Desert. In terms of number of species, the genera recorded in the Thar Desert comprise (in descending order) 27 species of the genus Onthophagus Latreille, ten species of Caccobius Thomson, nine species of Onitis Fabricius, seven species of Copris Geoffroy, seven species of Scarabaeus Linnaeus, five species of Catharsius Hope, five species of Gymnopleurus Illiger, four species of Oniticellus Serville, four species of Phallops Erichson, three species of Drepanocerus Kirby, three species of Heliocopris Burmeister and a single species of Chironitis Lansberge. Species of the genus Scarabaeus Linnaeus are abundant in the Banner, Bikaner and Jaisalmer districts of Rajasthan. The database provides useful information for dung beetle taxonomists in general, and for scientists researching the biodiversity of the Indian subcontinent, particularly those focusing on the Thar Desert region. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2009. All rights reserved.