Selected beetle assemblages captured in pitfall traps baited with deer dung or meat in balsam fir and sugar maple forests of central Quebec

Vertebrate dung and carrion are rich and strongly attractive resources for numerous beetles that are often closely linked to them. The presence and abundance of beetles exploiting such resources are influenced by various ecological factors including climate and forest cover vegetation. We studied selected assemblages of coprophilous and necrophagous beetles in Quebec along a 115-km north-south transect in three balsam fir (Abies balsamea (L.) Miller) forest sites and in a fourth forest site dominated by sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marshall), close to the southern fir site. Beetle abundance was estimated using a sampling design comprising replicated pitfall traps baited with red deer meat or dung in each site. A total of 8,511 beetles were caught and identified to family level, 95.7% of which belonged to families with known coprophilous or necrophagous behavior. Meat-baited pitfall traps caught nearly 15 times as many beetles as dung-baited traps. All Histeridae, Hydrophilidae, Scarabaeidae, and Silphidae were identified to species to examine specific diversity variation among sites. For the beetles caught in the meat-baited traps (majority of captures), decreases in abundance and species richness were observed from south to north along the fir forest transect, with evidence of decreasing specific diversity as measured by the Shannon index of diversity. Strong differences in species assemblages were also observed between the southern maple and fir forest sites. The Silphidae and Histeridae were more abundant in the maple forest, whereas the Hydrophilidae and Ptilidae were more abundant in the fir forest.     

Intermediate disturbance promotes diversity and the conservation of dung beetles (Scarabaeoidea: Scarabaeidae and Aphodiidae) in the Eastern Cape,South Africa

Environmental fluctuations, such as changes in climate, agricultural management and anthropogenic land-use patterns can affect the diversity of organisms inhabiting an area. Losses of biodiversity alter ecosystems processes, eroding their capacity to deliver ecosystem services. Dung beetles are critical ecosystem service providers, making them an ideal ecological indicator to explore the effects of land-use change on biodiversity. Dung beetles were sampled across three land-use types, in the summers of 2015 and 2016 in the Eastern Cape province, South Africa. Game ranching is regarded as a relatively low-intensity land use type. It was compared with cattle ranching (medium intensity) and dairy farming (high intensity) to examine their effect on dung beetle assemblage metrics (abundance, species richness and true Shannon diversity index), guild diversity (as nesting guilds) and spatial turnover. The intermediate grazing intensity of cattle ranching supported a higher abundance and diversity of both whole dung beetle assemblage and the nesting guilds, followed by the game ranches and then dairy farms. Differences between the sampling years were dependent on the beetle nesting guild, and largely correlated with rainfall and temperature. Cattle and game ranches shared a higher number of species than either shared with dairy farms. Whittaker's Beta-diversity index showed the highest species turnover between game ranches and dairy farms. A mix of game and cattle ranching, minimising dairy farming or restricting it to already ecological degraded sites, appears the best alternative for maintenance of dung beetle diversity and their ecosystem services. The year-to-year trends of the data were in general consistent, confirming that dung beetles are reliable ecological indicators; but also suggest that climate change that affects rainfall will result in the reduction of the abundance and diversity of this key ecological group.     

Trap Spacing and Transect Design for Dung Beetle Biodiversity Studies1

Standardized sampling methods are essential for comparing species diversity and abundance patterns across different studies and sites. Although dung beetles are widely used as a focal taxon in biodiversity studies, nothing appears to be known about the effective sampling area of dung‐baited traps. Mark‐recapture experiments using Canthon acutus showed that at least 50 m between traps should minimize trap interference, and that wind affects trap detectability. Consequently, we propose a standardized dung beetle sampling design.     

Using dung beetles to evaluate the effects of urbanization on Atlantic Forest biodiversity

We used dung beetles to evaluate the impact of urbanization on insect biodiversity in three Atlantic Forest fragments in Londrina, Paraná, Brazil. This study provides the first empirical evidence of the impact of urbanization on richness, abundance, composition and guild structure of dung beetle communities from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. We evaluated the community aspects (abundance, richness, composition and food guilds) of dung beetles in fragments with different degrees of immersion in the urban matrix using pitfall traps with four alternative baits (rotten meat, rotten fish, pig dung and decaying banana). A total of 1 719 individuals were collected, belonging to 29 species from 11 genera and six Scarabaeinae tribes. The most urban‐immersed fragment showed a higher species dominance and the beetle community captured on dung presented the greatest evenness. The beetle communities were distinct with respect to the fragments and feeding habits. Except for the dung beetle assemblage in the most urbanized forest fragment, all others exhibited contrasting differences in species composition attracted to each bait type. Our results clearly show that the degree of urbanization affects Atlantic Forest dung beetle communities and that the preservation of forest fragments inside the cities, even small ones, can provide refuges for Scarabaeinae.     

Diversity and seasonal fluctuations in dung beetle (Coleoptera) community in Kurukshetra,India

Five pitfall traps baited with 150–200 g of fresh cattle dung were installed for 24 h at weekly intervals. A total of 991 dung beetles from 11 genera, 31 species and three subfamilies was obtained. The community was dominated by Oniticellus spinipes individuals by 32.3%. Ten species appeared only once during the collection period and species composition and dominance changed throughout the period. The overall pattern we detected in the organization of the dung beetle community is that the species richness, abundance and diversity rise in September and the 2^nd week of October. The dung beetle community was found to be affected by season.     

Cork-oak woodlands as key-habitats for biodiversity conservation in Mediterranean landscapes: a case study using rove and ground beetles (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae, Carabidae)

Land-use intensification in Mediterranean agro-forest systems became a pressure on biodiversity, concerning particularly the woodland sensitive species. In 2001, the effects of a land-use gradient from old-growth cork-oak forest to a homogeneous agricultural area were assessed using rove beetles as indicators in a Mediterranean landscape. The aim was to find which species were negatively affected by land-use intensification at the landscape level and whether they benefited from cork-oak patches occurring along the land-use gradient. A total of 3,196 rove beetles from 88 taxa were sampled from all landscape types. Agricultural area recorded significantly higher numbers of abundance and species richness in relation to the cork-oak mosaics, i.e. the old-growth forest and the managed agro-forest landscapes (montados). Moreover, 70% of rove beetle indicator species common enough to be tested by IndVal displayed their highest indicator value for agriculture, showing a lower number of woodland indicators in comparison to ground beetles. Nevertheless, one rove beetle taxon was considered a specialist of closed woodland mosaics while no specialist ground beetle was found for that landscape typology. Some rare rove beetle species were also important in typifying diversity patterns of old-growth cork-oak forests. Hence, future management in Mediterranean landscapes should take into account not only indicator species common enough to be tested by IndVal, but also rare and endemic species. Considering the added value of cork-oak woodland cover for sensitive rove and ground beetle diversity, the strengthening of cork-oak woodland connectivity seems to be a crucial management that is required in agricultural Mediterranean landscapes.     

Low local but high beta diversity of tropical forest dung beetles in Madagascar

Aims We have compared local (alpha) and regional (beta) species diversities of dung beetles in wet forests in the main tropical regions including Madagascar. Madagascar is exceptional in lacking native large herbivorous mammals which produce the key resource for dung beetles elsewhere. Location Central and South America, mainland Africa, Madagascar and Southeast Asia. Methods Trapping data on dung beetles and data on mammalian faunas were obtained from published and unpublished studies. We used our original data for Madagascar. Results Species richness of dung beetles and that of large‐bodied (> 15 mm length) species in particular were highly significantly explained by the regional number of large‐bodied (> 10 kg) mammals (R² from 50 to 80%). For a given pairwise spatial distance between two communities, beta diversity was significantly higher in Madagascar than elsewhere, explaining the very high total species richness in Madagascar in spite of low local diversity. Main conclusion The presence and numbers of large herbivorous mammals greatly influence the species richness of dung beetles in tropical wet forests. The lack of native large herbivores rather than a limited species pool explains the low local diversity in Madagascar. Exceptionally high beta diversity in Madagascar suggests a pattern of old radiation involving extensive allopatric speciation.     

Do riparian reserves support dung beetle biodiversity and ecosystem services in oil palm-dominated tropical landscapes?

Agricultural expansion and intensification are major threats to global biodiversity, ecological functions, and ecosystem services. The rapid expansion of oil palm in forested tropical landscapes is of particular concern given their high biodiversity. Identifying management approaches that maintain native species and associated ecological processes within oil palm plantations is therefore a priority. Riparian reserves are strips of forest retained alongside rivers in cultivated areas, primarily for their positive hydrological impact. However, they can also support a range of forest‐dependent species or ecosystem services. We surveyed communities of dung beetles and measured dung removal activity in an oil palm‐dominated landscape in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. The species richness, diversity, and functional group richness of dung beetles in riparian reserves were significantly higher than in oil palm, but lower than in adjacent logged forests. The community composition of the riparian reserves was more similar to logged forest than oil palm. Despite the pronounced differences in biodiversity, we did not find significant differences in dung removal rates among land uses. We also found no evidence that riparian reserves enhance dung removal rates within surrounding oil palm. These results contrast previous studies showing positive relationships between dung beetle species richness and dung removal in tropical forests. We found weak but significant positive relationships between riparian reserve width and dung beetle diversity, and between reserve vegetation complexity and dung beetle abundance, suggesting that these features may increase the conservation value of riparian reserves. Synthesis and applications: The similarity between riparian reserves and logged forest demonstrates that retaining riparian reserves increases biodiversity within oil palm landscapes. However, the lack of correlation between dung beetle community characteristics and dung removal highlights the need for further research into spatial variation in biodiversity–ecosystem function relationships and how the results of such studies are affected by methodological choices.     

Effects of Season and Vegetation Type on Community Organization of Dung Beetles in a Tropical Dry Forest1

Dung beetles are important components of most terrestrial ecosystems. In tropical rain forests, dung beetle communities can be very rich in number of species and individuals, and they are known to be useful bioindicators of habitat disturbance. In contrast, very little is known about the organization of dung beetle communities in tropical dry forests. The aim of this study was to describe in detail the dung beetle community of a Mexican tropical dry forest and to assess the relative importance of rainfall seasonality and forest structure in affecting the temporal and spatial dynamics of this community. Dung beetles were captured with pitfall traps at the beginning of the rainy season, the middle of the rainy season, and the middle of the dry season, in two distinct forest types: deciduous forest (DF) and semideciduous forest (SDF) at the Estación de Biología Chamela. Both rainfall seasonality and forest structure affected the community organization of dung beetles. During both rainy periods, 14 species were captured, but only three during the dry season. Dung beetles captured during the dry season were only found in the SDF. When comparing the beginning and the middle of the rainy season, differences in abundance and guild structure were also observed between both periods and between forest types, but these differences were much less pronounced.     

Patterns of alimentary resource use by dung beetles in introduced Brazilian pastures: Cattle versus sheep dung

Dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) perform essential ecological functions in pastures, such as dung removal, nutrient recycling and parasite control. However, the patterns of alimentary use by dung beetles in introduced Brazilian pastures are poorly known. Here, we compared dung beetle species richness, abundance and species composition in cattle and sheep dung, and identified the dung beetle species preference by each dung type. In January 2019, dung beetles were sampled with pitfall traps baited with cattle and sheep dung in 12 introduced pastures (Urochloa spp.), in Aquidauana, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. A total of 592 individuals belonging to 14 species of dung beetles were collected. Of the 14 species sampled, nine were recorded in both dung types, five were found exclusively in sheep dung and no species was exclusive to cattle dung. Species richness and abundance were higher in sheep dung. Species composition was different between the dung types. Dichotomius bos (Blanchard), Genieridium bidens (Balthasar), Onthophagus aeneus Blanchard and Trichillum externepunctatum Preudhomme de Borre were associated with sheep dung. Our results provide evidence that sheep dung is more attractive to dung beetles with a distinct community species between the two dung types, although the studied pastures have never been used before for sheep breeding. Thus, our data shows that the introduction of a new alimentary resource (e.g. sheep dung) can be an important strategy to help to obtain a more diverse dung beetle assemblage in introduced Brazilian pastures.     

Tamarins and Dung Beetles: An Efficient Diplochorous Dispersal System in the Peruvian Amazonia

Dung beetles fulfill several key functions in ecosystems but their role as secondary seed dispersers is probably one of the most complex ones. Various factors, such as seed characteristics, dispersal pattern induced by the primary disperser, season, and habitat, can affect the seed–beetle interaction. Particularly little is known about the fate of seeds primarily dispersed in small feces. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of these factors on the dung beetle community (species composition, number and size of individuals) and its consequences on burial occurrence and depth of seeds primarily dispersed by two tamarin species. We captured dung beetles in a Peruvian rain forest with 299 dung‐baited pitfall traps to characterize the dung beetle community. Seed burial occurrence and depth were assessed by marking in situ 551 dispersed seeds in feces placed in cages. Among these seeds, 22.5 percent were buried by dung beetles after 2 d. We observed a significant effect of the amount of dung, season, time of deposition, and habitat on the number of individuals and species of dung beetles, as well as on seed burial occurrence and depth, while the tamarin species significantly influenced only the number and the size of dung beetles. This seed dispersal loop is particularly important for forest regeneration: small to large seeds dispersed by tamarins in secondary forest can be buried by dung beetles. These seeds can thus benefit from a better protection against predation and a more suitable microenvironment for germination, potentially enhancing seedling recruitment.     

Short‐term assessment of dung beetle response to carbosulfan treatment against desert locust in Sudan

The beneficial role of dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) is well known. Potential risks to these beetles from the widespread use of insecticides against the desert locust, a significant plant pest in Africa, the Near East and South West Asia, have not been studied previously. Short‐term responses of dung beetles to carbamate carbosulfan (Marshal®, ultra low‐volume formulation, 100 g active ingredient ha^?1) were assessed during desert locust control operations at five sites within two major biotopes: Acacia tortilis shrubland and cultivated wetland; on the Red Sea Coast of Sudan. The study took place during January–February 2004. At each site, fresh dung from Zebu cows was placed in areas targeted for desert locust control. Dung pats were placed in plots in two areas and left for 24 h, before and after insecticide application. Beetles were extracted by floatation. There was a significant decrease in abundance between the pre‐ and post‐spray period in treated areas for the Scarabaeinae species Onthophagus margaritifer (a dark colour morph). In contrast, it was found that Aphodius lucidus and beetles at the subfamily level of Aphodiinae increased in numbers after insecticide treatment. Mortality and sublethal impacts as well as a repellent effect of the insecticide may explain the decrease in Onthophagus margaritifer, while the increase in Aphodiinae beetles could be an indirect response to lower numbers of Scarabaeinae beetles in competing for the same resource. These organisms and the applied methodology may be useful for environmental monitoring of desert locust control, thus further studies are suggested. The assessment also revealed a marked difference between the two biotopes with high abundance and species richness of dung beetles in A. tortilis shrubland, while these measures were low in the cultivated wetland. Five new species of dung beetles for Sudan were found in this study.     

Differences in Coprophilous Beetle Communities Structure in Sierra de Minas (Uruguay): a Mosaic Landscape

Coprophilous beetles represent an abundant and rich group with critical importance in the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems. Most coprophagous beetles have a stenotopic distribution in relation to vegetation types. Because of this, they are usually very sensitive to environmental changes and are considered well suited as bioindicator organisms. The aim of this study was to analyze variations in coprophilous beetle assemblages in natural and anthropogenic habitats. Coprophilous beetle communities were sampled monthly for 1?year using pitfall traps baited with cow dung, in native xeric upland forests, 15-years-old plantations of Pinus elliottii and pastures in Sierra de Minas, Lavalleja, Uruguay. A total of 7,436 beetles were caught and identified to species or morphospecies level. The most abundant families were Aphodiidae, Scarabaeidae, and Staphylinidae. Differences in species richness, abundance, Shannon index, evenness, and dominance were detected between habitats. Abundances of most frequent families were significantly higher in both kinds of forests. Species richness and diversity of Aphodiidae and Staphylinidae were higher in forests, while Scarabaeidae showed the highest richness and diversity in pine plantations. Species composition significantly differed between habitats. Uroxys terminalis Waterhouse and Ataenius perforatus Harold typified the assemblages in native forests and pine plantations and also discriminated both communities because of their differential pattern of abundance between habitats. Typifying species in pastures were Onthophagus hirculus, Ateuchus robustus (Harold), and Ataenius platensis Blanchard. Habitat type had a strong effect on the coprophilous beetle community structure and composition.     

Effects of dung beetles on seedling emergence from herbaceous seeds in the dung of sika deer (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Cervus nippon</Emphasis>) in a temperate Japanese grassland ecosystem

The effects of dung form and condition and of dung beetles on the emergence of seedlings from herbaceous seeds in sika deer dung were examined in a temperate grassland ecosystem dominated by Zoysia japonica and Hydrocotyle maritima. I conducted field experiments to compare seedling emergence between dung exposed to dung beetles and intact dung using both dung pellets and pats during a typical rainy month (June) and the hottest, drier month (August), when large numbers of seeds of the dominant species were present in the dung. The exposed dung was immediately attacked and broken up by dung beetles, whereas dung protected from the beetles remained intact. In June, at least 12 herbaceous species, including Z. japonica, H. maritima, Mazus pumilus, and Plantago asiatica, emerged from the dung, versus at least six species in August. Decomposition rates of the pellets in June and decomposition scores of the pats in June and August were positively correlated with the number of emerging seedlings, suggesting that the acceleration of decomposition by dung beetles can positively affect seed germination. In this system of interactions among sika deer, herbaceous plants, and dung beetles, sika deer dung prevented seeds from germinating, and beetles had an indirect positive effect on seedling emergence by accelerating decomposition of the dung, although the extent of the effect may depend on the dung type, plant species, and environmental factors.     

Attractiveness of baits to dung beetles in Brazilian savanna and exotic pasturelands

The Brazilian savanna is the second largest ecosystem in Brazil. It is also one of the most endangered, with only 20% of its habitat remaining unchanged. Agriculture and livestock have been indicated as the main agents of destruction of the Brazilian savanna. Brazilian livestock, for example, is the main reason for cultivation of exotic grasses such as Urochloa spp. (from Africa). Dung beetles are widely used in ecological assessment, mainly because they are recognized as bioindicators of environmental changes. Therefore, efficient sampling is required for any research involving the biodiversity of this group. In order to mitigate the lack of information on efficiency of the attractiveness of baits in the endangered Brazilian savanna and in exotic pasturelands, we sampled dung beetles in four native patches of the Brazilian savanna and in four areas of pastures with Urochloa spp. Dung beetles were captured with pitfall traps baited with carcass, cattle dung, human feces and pig dung, with a total sampling effort of 384 traps. We sampled 7544 individuals belonging to 43 species and 18 genera of dung beetles. Thirty‐eight species were collected in the Brazilian savanna and 24 species in exotic pastureland. In both ecosystems traps baited with human feces sampled greater abundance and species richness of dung beetles when compared with the other three baits used. Our results showed that human feces is a reliable, easy and inexpensive bait to sample greater abundance and species richness of generalist dung beetles in both native and exotic habitats, with clear structural differences.     

Landscape diversity of pasture dung beetle communities in the central region of mainland Japan and implications for conservation management

We studied the diversity of dung beetle communities in Japanese pastures to identify the factors that maintain or enhance the diversity of dung beetles at a landscape scale. We surveyed dung beetles from 17 pastures located in the northeastern part of Tochigi Prefecture, which is in the center of mainland Japan. From 1999 to 2001, surveys were conducted during the 6-month grazing period (May to October) by using dung baited basket traps. We also collected information about the environmental conditions and pasture management practices. Twenty-five dung beetle species belonging to Geotrupinae, Scarabaeinae, and Aphodiinae (including 13 tunneler and 12 dweller species) were recorded. The abundance of dweller species decreased with increasing elevation, possibly because of the effect of rainfall, whereas the species richness of tunneler species was affected by cattle disturbance and soil condition. Beetle species richness significantly increased with the number of years that the pastures had been grazed. Ivermectin administration did not appear to have any adverse effect on dung beetle abundance, species richness, or species diversity. The dung beetle datasets of the current study (including specific tunneler and dweller beetle groups) supported the widely documented positive relationship between local abundance and species distribution ranges. The within pasture, within area, and between area hierarchical additive partitioning of regional total diversity indicated that landscape-scale management should be implemented to conserve the regional diversity of the dung beetle communities inhabiting Japanese pastures.     

Morphology and biology of the flower‐visiting water scavenger beetle genus Rygmodus (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae)

Hydrophilidae (water scavenger beetles) is well known as an aquatic beetle family; however, it contains ca. 1,000 secondarily terrestrial species derived from aquatic ancestors. The New Zealand endemic genus Rygmodus White is a member of the hydrophilid subfamily Cylominae, which is the early‐diverging taxon of the largest terrestrial lineage (Cylominae + Sphaeridiinae) within the Hydrophilidae. In this paper we report that Rygmodus beetles are pollen‐feeding flower visitors as adults, but aquatic predators as larvae. Based on analyses of gut contents and a summary of collecting records reported on museum specimen labels, adult Rygmodus beetles are generalists feeding on pollen of at least 13 plant families. Rygmodus adult mouthparts differ from those of other (saprophagous) hydrophilid beetles in having the simple scoop‐like apex and mola with roughly denticulate surface, resembling the morphology found in pollen‐feeding staphylinid beetles. Larvae were found along the sides of streams, under stones and in algal mats and water‐soaked moss; one collected larval specimen was identified using DNA barcoding of two molecular markers, mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase 1 (cox1) and nuclear histone 3 (H3). Larvae of two species, Rygmodus modestus and Rygmodus sp., are described in detail and illustrated; they closely resemble ambush‐type predatory larvae of the hydrophilid tribe Hydrophilini in the head morphology. Rygmodus is the only known hydrophilid beetle with adults and larvae inhabiting different environments.     

Wide corridors with much environmental heterogeneity best conserve high dung beetle and ant diversity

Landscape ecological networks (ENs) consist of landscape-scale conservation corridors that connect areas of high natural value within a production mosaic with protected areas (PAs). In South Africa, ENs have been implemented on a large spatial scale to offset the negative impacts of plantation forestry on indigenous grasslands. We focus on corridor width as a factor for conserving dung beetle and ant diversity within an EN. We also investigate the importance of natural environmental heterogeneity (elevation, vegetation type) and habitat quality (soil hardness, invasive alien plant density). We sampled dung beetles and ants in 30 corridors of different sizes, and at ten sites in a nearby PA. In addition, we also analysed dung beetles according to their feeding guild. Tunnelling dung beetle species richness increased with corridor width. Rolling dung beetle species richness was higher in the PA than in the corridors of the EN. The dung beetle assemblage within the EN differed from that within the PA. Corridors of various widths differed in ant composition but not in species richness. Furthermore, the PA and the EN differed in environmental variables, which contributed to differences in dung beetle species richness and assemblage composition. Within the EN, environmental heterogeneity across the landscape was more important than corridor width for driving species diversity of both dung beetles and ants. When planning future ENs, wide corridors (>280 m) that encompass as much natural heterogeneity across the landscape as possible will best conserve the range of local insect species.     

Resource Utilization and Temporal Segregation of Scarabaeinae (Coleoptera,Scarabaeidae) Community in a Caatinga Fragment

We characterized dung beetles food preference and diel activity and examined the way such characteristics may structure a Scarabaeinae community in a dry forest. We sampled a fragment of Arboreal Caatinga in Milagres, Bahia, Brazil, during the dry and wet seasons, using baited pitfall (bovine spleen, human feces, cow dung, and rotten banana). Species were classified by activity (nocturnal and diurnal) and food preference (coprophagous, necrophagous, saprophagous, copro-necrophagous, and generalist). In total, 1,581 individuals belonging to 16 morphospecies were sampled, with six new records for Caatinga. The dung beetles were mainly from generalist and coprophagous species; seven species presented nocturnal activity, and five were diurnal. There was higher species richness during the day and greater abundance during the night. Species composition differences were influenced by functional guilds and beetle size according to temporal segregation. These factors may be related to physiological, morphological, and behavioral differences.     

Dung beetles in an avian-dominated island ecosystem: feeding and trophic ecology

Globally, dung beetles (Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) are linked to many critical ecosystem processes involving the consumption and breakdown of mammal dung. Endemic New Zealand dung beetles (Canthonini) are an anomaly, occurring at high abundance and low diversity on an island archipelago historically lacking terrestrial mammals, except bats, and instead dominated by birds. Have New Zealand’s dung beetles evolved to specialise on bird dung or carrion, or have they become broad generalist feeders? We test dietary preferences by analysing nitrogen isotope ratios of wild dung beetles and by performing feeding behaviour observations of captive specimens. We also use nitrogen and carbon stable isotopes to determine if the dung beetle Saphobius edwardsi will consume marine-derived carrion. Nitrogen isotope ratios indicated trophic generalism in Saphobius dung beetles and this was supported by behavioural observations where a broad range of food resources were utilised. Alternative food resource use was further illustrated experimentally by nitrogen and carbon stable isotope signatures of S. edwardsi, where individuals provided with decomposed squid had δ¹⁵N and δ¹³C values that had shifted toward values associated with marine diet. Our findings suggest that, in the absence of native mammal dung resources, New Zealand dung beetles have evolved a generalist diet of dung and carrion. This may include marine-derived resources, as provided by the seabird colonies present in New Zealand forests before the arrival of humans. This has probably enabled New Zealand dung beetles to persist in indigenous ecosystems despite the decline of native birds and the introduction of many mammal species.