Identification and field testing of floral odorants that attract the rove beetle <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pelecomalium testaceum</Emphasis> (Mannerheim) to skunk cabbage, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lysichiton americanus</Emphasis> (L.)

Western skunk cabbage, Lysichiton americanus (Araceae), is pollinated mainly by the rove beetle Pelecomalium testaceum (Staphylinidae). Our objective was to determine the floral semiochemical(s) of L. americanus that attract(s) P. testaceum. Porapak Q headspace volatile extracts of L. americanus inflorescences were analyzed by gas chromatographic–electroantennographic detection (GC–EAD) and GC–mass spectrometry. In GC–EAD analyses, three floral odorants [(E)-4 nonene, (E)-5-undecene, indole] elicited consistent responses from the antennae of female P. testaceum. In field experiments, traps baited with a blend of these three components (“3-CB”) captured significantly more P. testaceum than unbaited control traps. Traps baited with the 3-CB, the two hydrocarbons, or indole, each captured significantly more beetles than unbaited control traps, indicating redundancy in the semiochemical blend. Moreover, traps baited with indole captured significantly more beetles than traps baited with either the 3-CB, or the hydrocarbons, indicating that indole is a key floral attractant for P. testaceum. Many necrophilous and coprophilous insects respond to indole in search of carrion or feces, but P. testaceum has never been associated with these types of resources. Both electrophysiological and behavioral responses of P. testaceum to two hydrocarbon semiochemicals, which are not signature odorants of carrion or feces, may indicate that the beetles recognize the odor of L. americanus as an honest signal, seek and pollinate its inflorescences, and get rewarded with pollen and on-plant mating opportunities.     

Distribution and habitat of endangered American burying beetle in northern and southern regions

The American burying beetle, Nicrophorus americanus, is a federally endangered insect that once occurred in 35 US states and 3 Canadian provinces. Today, it remains at the periphery of its former range with the largest populations concentrated in Nebraska and Oklahoma. We assessed beetle occurrence records throughout the western ranges in Nebraska and Oklahoma, but excluded a small eastern population on Block Island, Rhode Island. We compiled more than 2500 presence–absence records and used GIS-based random forest models to create distribution maps throughout the current western range of the American burying beetle based on habitat characteristics within 800 m of each trap. We also used generalized linear models to identify habitat characteristics associated with N. americanus occurrences and to document differences between northern and southern habitat associations. In its northern range, N. americanus was associated with wetter areas while avoiding agricultural and urban areas. In the southern range, N. americanus was associated with sandy soils, hayfields, and native forests and grasslands, while avoiding human population centers and agricultural areas. Our N. americanus distribution maps for the northern and southern regions highlight areas where N. americanus is likely to occur, providing a tool that may improve current management. This first attempt at a range-wide model of American burying beetle occurrences revealed important differences among regions and can improve region-specific management and conservation.     

Influences of the invasive tamarisk leaf beetle (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Diorhabda carinulata</Emphasis>) on avian diets along the Dolores River in Southwestern Colorado USA

The tamarisk leaf beetle (Diorhabda carinulata), introduced from Eurasia in 2001 as a biological control agent for the invasive plant Tamarix ramosissima, has spread widely throughout the western USA. With D. carinulata now very abundant, scientists and restoration managers have questioned what influence this introduced arthropod might have upon the avian component of riparian ecosystems. From 2009 through 2012 we studied the consequences of biological invasions of the introduced tamarisk shrub and tamarisk leaf beetles on the diets of native birds along the Dolores River in southwestern Colorado, USA. We examined avian foraging behavior, sampled the arthropod community, documented bird diets and the use of invasive tamarisk shrubs and tamarisk leaf beetles by birds. We documented D. carinulata abundance, on what plants the beetles occurred, and to what degree they were consumed by birds as compared to other arthropods. We hypothesized that if D. carinulata is an important new avian food source, birds should consume beetles at least in proportion to their abundance. We also hypothesized that birds should forage more in tamarisk in the late summer when tamarisk leaf beetle larvae are more abundant than in early summer, and that birds should select beetle-damaged tamarisk shrubs. We found that D. carinulata composed 24.0 percent (±?19.9–27.4%) and 35.4% biomass of all collected arthropods. From the gut contents of 188 birds (25 passerine species), only four species (n?=?11 birds) contained tamarisk leaf beetle parts. Although D. carinulata comprised one-quarter of total insect abundance, frequency of occurrence in bird gut contents was only 2.1% by abundance and 3.4% biomass. Birds used tamarisk shrubs for foraging in proportion to their availability, but foraging frequency did not increase during the late summer when more tamarisk leaf beetles were present and birds avoided beetle-damaged tamarisk shrubs. Despite D. carinulata being the most abundant arthropod in the environment, these invasive beetles were not frequently consumed by birds and seem not to provide a significant contribution to avian diets.     

Examination of dogbane beetle (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Chrysochus auratus</Emphasis>) feeding and phenology on spreading dogbane,and considerations for biological control

We carried out experiments that considered the feeding, phenology, and biocontrol potential of dogbane beetle, Chrysochus auratus, on spreading dogbane, Apocynum androsaemifolium, a native perennial weed in lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium). In no-choice host-feeding experiments, adult beetles did not feed upon common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca), periwinkle (Vinca minor), wild raisin (Viburnum cassenoides), and lowbush blueberry, all plants related to spreading dogbane or found around lowbush blueberry fields. In a field experiment, significant decreases in spreading dogbane total and foliar weight occurred at a density of 16 beetles per ramet, but not at lower beetle densities. In our Nova Scotia (NS) field sites, beetles were present for 8–12 weeks, beginning in late June or early July (225–335 growing degree days, GDD). Beetle abundance peaked at 4–7 beetles/m² and occurred at 357–577 GDD, which temporally coincides with the incidence of mature spreading dogbane plants in the field. The results suggest that although inundations of C. auratus could cause significant defoliation of spreading dogbane, natural populations of the beetle probably could not satisfactorily suppress development of this weed as a stand-alone control tactic. Conservation and augmentation of C. auratus populations should nonetheless be encouraged in integrated management programs for spreading dogbane.     

Taxonomy and pathogenicity of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Leptographium</Emphasis> species associated with <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ips subelongatus</Emphasis> infestations of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Larix</Emphasis> spp. in northern China,including two new species

The larch bark beetle (Ips subelongatus), which occurs in larch plantations over a vast area of eastern Asia, infects both dying and fallen trees. When its population reaches a high density, the beetle may also infect healthy trees, resulting in tree decline and, eventually, death. Leptographium spp., in both their sexual and asexual states, are mainly associated with conifer-infesting bark beetles; some species are important tree pathogens. The aims of this study were to identify the Leptographium spp. associated with I. subelongatus infestations of Larix spp. in northern China and to examine their pathogenicity towards the tree. Morphological studies and phylogenetic approaches based on multilocus DNA sequence data (ITS2- partial r28S, partial β-tubulin, and EF-1α gene regions) showed that three Leptographium species occur in association with I. subelongatus in the areas investigated: Leptographium taigense, which is recorded in China for the first time, and two new species, namely L. innermongolicum sp. nov. and L. zhangii sp. nov. Leptographium innermongolicum is closely related to L. taigense, whereas L. zhangii belongs to the Grosmannia piceaperda species complex. The pathogenicity of these Leptographium species towards mature Larix spp. was tested by stem inoculation in forests. All inoculations only resulted in small lesions on the inner bark; therefore, the three Leptographium species were not considered to be pathogenic.     

Pollination of the cycad <Emphasis Type="Italic">Zamia incognita</Emphasis> A. Lindstr. &amp; Idárraga by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pharaxonotha</Emphasis> beetles in the Magdalena Medio Valley,Colombia: a mutualism dependent on a specific pollinator and its significance for conservation

The genus Zamia (Zamiaceae: Cycadales) exhibits its greatest diversity in Colombia and is highly threatened by habitat loss, extraction for ornamental plant trade, and mining, among other factors. One of the most important considerations for the effective conservation of Zamia is its highly specialized reproductive biology. Despite the importance of pollination for the populations’ viability, no studies have examined the pollination process of cycads in Colombia. Herein, we describe the pollination process of Zamia incognita A. Lindstr. & Idárraga, in a natural population. Exclusion experiments were performed by selectively excluding wind, beetles, both, or neither, which demonstrated that Pharaxonotha beetles are effective pollinators of Zamia incognita and that wind does not play any role as pollen vector. By following beetles marked with fluorescent dyes and directly observing beetle movements on and into female cones and micropyles, we confirmed that Pharaxonotha sp. is the effective pollinator of Z. incognita. The beetles traveled a maximum dispersal distance from a male to female cone of nearly 22 m and a minimum distance of 5 m. We found Pharaxonotha beetles in male cones, where they complete their life cycle. Cones produce heat in a circadian pattern associated with the elongation of the cones and pollen shedding. The increase in cones’ temperature appears to play an important role in beetle attraction. We suggest that pollination droplets on the micropyles would be a reward to pollinators. We also discuss the relationship of this Zamia species with other insects, which have important consequences for the conservation of web interactions.     

Moose (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Alces alces</Emphasis>) hunters subsidize the scavenger community in Alaska

In many temperate ecosystems animal carcasses resultant from wildlife harvest can provide a high-quality food source for myriad facultative scavengers. We investigated scavenger use of human-provisioned ungulate carrion from a fall moose (Alces alces) hunt during 2010 and 2011 on the Gustavus Forelands, Alaska, USA. Using data from remote cameras, we (1) identified the scavenger species that used these resources and (2) evaluated their spatial and temporal responses to this seasonal resource event by indexing their activity patterns and relative order of arrival at carrion sites. We also quantified the length of time carrion persisted and estimated the amount of moose biomass provisioned to vertebrate scavengers by human hunters. Our results indicated that 11 vertebrate species (five birds and six mammals) scavenged moose carrion. We found that the common raven was the only species documented at all carrion sites and the most abundant species at moose carrion sites. As a species group, corvids [black-billed magpie (Pica hudsonia), common raven (Corvus corax); 0.1 ± 2.3 days] were the first to arrive at human-provisioned moose carrion sites, whereas ursids [brown bear (Ursus arctos), black bear (U. americanus); 1.3 ± 1.0 days] arrived after corvids but sooner than expected and canids [gray wolf (Canis lupus), coyote (C. latrans); 3.9 ± 3.0] arrived later than expected compared to our null model. On average, carrion persisted >20 days and hunters provided scavengers with a minimum of 2720 kg (82.7 kg/km²) and 1815 kg (64.8 kg/km²) of moose carrion during 2010 and 2011, respectively. Understanding how scavengers, particularly large carnivores, interact with human-provisioned moose carrion at the rural–wildland interface is essential for mitigating potential human–wildlife conflicts associated with humans subsidizing predators with a high-quality food resource.     

Nutritional symbionts of a putative vector, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Xyleborus bispinatus</Emphasis>, of the laurel wilt pathogen of avocado, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Raffaelea lauricola</Emphasis>

Ambrosia beetles subsist on fungal symbionts that they carry to, and cultivate in, their natal galleries. These symbionts are usually saprobes, but some are phytopathogens. Very few ambrosial symbioses have been studied closely, and little is known about roles that phytopathogenic symbionts play in the life cycles of these beetles. One of the latter symbionts, Raffaelea lauricola, causes laurel wilt of avocado, Persea americana, but its original ambrosia beetle partner, Xyleborus glabratus, plays an uncertain role in this pathosystem. We examined the response of a putative, alternative vector of R. lauricola, Xyleborus bispinatus, to artificial diets of R. lauricola and other ambrosia fungi. Newly eclosed, unfertilized females of X. bispinatus were reared in no-choice assays on one of five different symbionts or no symbiont. Xyleborus bispinatus developed successfully on R. lauricola, R. arxii, R. subalba and R. subfusca, all of which had been previously recovered from field-collected females of X. bispinatus. However, no development was observed in the absence of a symbiont or on another symbiont, Ambrosiella roeperi, recovered from another ambrosia beetle, Xylosandrus crassiusculus. In the no-choice assays, mycangia of foundress females of X. bispinatus harbored significant colony-forming units of, and natal galleries that they produced were colonized with, the respective Raffaelea symbionts; with each of these fungi, reproduction, fecundity and survival of the beetle were positively impacted. However, no fungus was recovered from, and reproduction did not occur on, the A. roeperi and no symbiont diets. These results highlight the flexible nature of the ambrosial symbiosis, which for X. bispinatus includes a fungus with which it has no evolutionary history. Although the “primary” symbiont of the neotropical X. bispinatus is unclear, it is not the Asian R. lauricola.     

Offspring dependence on parental care and the role of parental transfer of oral fluids in burying beetles

Background

Immature stages of many animals can forage and feed on their own, whereas others depend on their parents’ assistance to obtain or process food. But how does such dependency evolve, and which offspring and parental traits are involved? Burying beetles (Nicrophorus) provide extensive biparental care, including food provisioning to their offspring. Interestingly, there is substantial variation in the reliance of offspring on post-hatching care among species. Here, we examine the proximate mechanisms underlying offspring dependence, focusing on the larvae of N. orbicollis, which are not able to survive in the absence of parents. We specifically asked whether the high offspring dependence is caused by (1) a low starvation tolerance, (2) a low ability to self-feed or (3) the need to obtain parental oral fluids. Finally, we determined how much care (i.e. duration of care) they require to be able to survive.

Results

We demonstrate that N. orbicollis larvae are not characterized by a lower starvation tolerance than larvae of the more independent species. Hatchlings of N. orbicollis are generally able to self-feed, but the efficiency depends on the kind of food presented and differs from the more independent species. Further, we show that even when providing highly dependent N. orbicollis larvae with easy ingestible liquefied mice carrion, only few of them survived to pupation. However, adding parental oral fluids significantly increased their survival rate. Finally, we demonstrate that survival and growth of dependent N. orbicollis larvae is increased greatly by only a few hours of parental care.

Conclusions

Considering the fact that larvae of other burying beetle species are able to survive in the absence of care, the high dependence of N. orbicollis larvae is puzzling. Even though they have not lost the ability to self-feed, an easily digestible, liquefied carrion meal is not sufficient to ensure their survival. However, our results indicate that the transfer of parental oral fluids is an essential component of care. In the majority of mammals, offspring rely on the exchange of fluids (i.e. milk) to survive, and our findings suggest that even in subsocial insects, such as burying beetles, parental fluids can significantly affect offspring survival.

     

Phototactic behavior of the ambrosia beetle <Emphasis Type="Italic">Platypus quercivorus</Emphasis> (Murayama) (Coleoptera: Platypodidae) before and after flight

The ambrosia beetle Platypus quercivorus (Coleoptera: Platypodidae) is a vector of the pathogenic fungi, Raffaelea quercivora (Ophiostomatales: Ophiostomataceae), which causes Japanese oak wilt disease. Previous studies have shown that the beetle displays positive phototactic behavior; however, the adaptive significance of this behavior remains unclear. We postulated that positive phototaxis is necessary to allow the beetle to fly skyward immediately after emergence from a tree, and that this taxis changes following a certain period of flight. The present study aimed to clarify the changes in phototactic behavior of P. quercivorus before and after flight by using individual beetles emerging from the trunk of a Quercus crispula (Fagales: Fagaceae) tree that was attacked in 2014. The response of 60 beetles to light was tested ten times each, before and after flight in a flight mill. A generalized linear mixed model was constructed to predict the probability of positive phototaxis of P. quercivorus before and after flight. A best-fit model showed that the probability of positive phototaxis was lower after flight than before. The results suggest that positive phototaxis of P. quercivorus is decreased after flight.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Scolytus multistriatus</Emphasis> associated with Dutch elm disease on the island of Gotland: phenology and communities of vectored fungi

Scolytus multistriatus Marsham, the smaller European elm bark beetle, is a vector for Dutch elm disease (DED) that in the year 2005 invaded the island of Gotland (Sweden). The island possesses the largest population of elm (mainly Ulmus minor Mill.) in northern Europe. The aim of this study was to monitor flying periods of S. multistriatus during three consecutive years and by using high-throughput sequencing to assess communities of vectored fungi. Sampling of the beetles was carried out at two different sites in Gotland in 2012, 2013, and 2014. In total, 50 pheromone traps were placed at each site and checked weekly during June-August each year. From all sites and years, 177 beetles were trapped. Among these, 6.2 % were trapped in June, 76.8 % in July, and 16.9 % in August (difference significant at p<0.007). Sequencing of ITS rDNA from the beetles revealed the presence of 1589 fungal taxa, among which virulent DED pathogen Ophiostoma novo-ulmi Brasier was the second most common species (9.0 % of all fungal sequences). O. ulmi Buisman, the less virulent DED pathogen, was also detected but only in a single beetle, which was sampled in 2012 (0.04 % of sequences). There were 13.0 % of the beetles infested with O. novo-ulmi in 2012, 4.0 % in 2013, and 27.7 % in 2014. O. novo-ulmi comprised 0.8 % of fungal sequences in 2012, 0.002 % in 2013, and 8.2 % in 2014. The study showed that the proportion of S. multistriatus vectoring O. novo-ulmi has increased in recent years.     

Difference in parenting in two species of burying beetle, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Nicrophorus orbicollis</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Nicrophorus vespilloides</Emphasis>

Burying beetles (Nicrophorus) are model parents among insects, with all studied species known to regurgitate flesh from vertebrate carcasses to their offspring. However, most studies focus on a very few species, yet the interpretation of the function and importance of care is typically generalized to all burying beetles. Here we characterize subtle variation within and between individuals and sexes, and how this variation differs between two species of burying beetle. We find that Nicrophorus orbicollis exhibits low variance, with a normal distribution of parental care provided during peak care periods. In N. vespilloides, however, the distribution is more uniform as values of care are spread across the possible phenotypic spectrum. This suggests that there is stabilizing selection on care in N. orbicollis, but relaxed or disruptive selection in N. vespilloides. Although repeatability was similar between both species, transitions from other care behaviors into feeding were more common in N. orbicollis than N. vespilloides. Thus, while parenting is coarsely similar across the genus, variation in its expression should not be extrapolated to all Nicrophorus. We suggest that subtle variation both within and among species merits greater attention, and could inform us about the factors that lead to different distributions of care.     

Female Responses to Synthetic Pheromone and Plant Compounds in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Agriotes brevis</Emphasis> Candeze (Coleoptera: Elateridae)

Traps baited with synthetic pheromone components of Agriotes brevis [geranyl butanoate + (E,E)-farnesyl butanoate] captured significantly higher numbers of not only male, but also female beetles, compared to unbaited controls. Catches of both sexes showed a clear positive relationship with increasing doses. In electroantennogram tests, antennal responses of females and males to a number of known Agriotes pheromone components, identified from pheromone glands, showed a similar trend, with geranyl butanoate eliciting the strongest responses. This suggests that the female and male A. brevis antennae are similar with respect to the perception of pheromone compounds, and female beetles have the sensory capabilities to perceive the pheromone components which they produce. Addition of the plant-derived compounds (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate, methyl benzoate, (Z)-3-hexenol and methyl salicylate (identified earlier from foliage as attractive for A. brevis) to the synthetic pheromone significantly increased catches. All the above results suggest that geranyl butanoate and (E,E)-farnesyl butanoate are constituents of an aggregation pheromone of A. brevis, in contrast to the general view of click beetle pheromones being “classical” sex pheromones. These findings could be useful for more precise monitoring and forecasting of damage, based on female catches.     

Coleoptera associated with <Emphasis Type="Italic">Fomitopsis pinicola</Emphasis> (Sw.:Fr.) Karst. (Basidiomycetes,Aphyllophorales) in the forests of the Urals and Transurals

A detailed characteristic of the beetle fauna associated with Fomitopsis pinicola (Sw.: Fr.) Karst. (Basidiomycetes, Aphyllophorales) in the Urals and Transurals is given. Thirty species from 14 families have been revealed, the commonest species including Eridaulus jacquemarti Mel., Ennearthron laricinum (Mel.) (Ciidae), Dorcatoma dresdensis Hbst., D. lomnickii Rtt., D. punctulata Muls. (Anobiidae), Diaperis boleti (L.) (Tenebrionidae), Scaphisoma agaricinum (L.), S. inopinatum Löbl, S. subalpinum Rtt. (Scaphidiidae), Ostoma ferruginea (L.), and Peltis grossa (L.) (Peltidae). The main trends in the ecological and trophic specialization of mycetophilous beetles are discussed, and some regularities of formation of mycetophilous complexes at different stages of the trees fungi fruit body development are revealed.     

Beetles (Coleoptera) in polar deserts of the Severnaya Zemlya Archipelago

In the course of five expeditions to the Severnaya Zemlya Archipelago, four beetle species were found: Micralymma brevilingue (Staphylinidae), Chrysolina subsulcata, Ch. septentrionalis (Chrysomelidae), and Dienerella filum (Latridiidae). The zonal plant communities do not contain beetles at all. All the species found prefer intrazonal habitats, where the snowless season is prolonged. Only M. brevilingue is common enough in various biotopes of the archipelago. All the beetle species found are wingless, rather small, polytopic and have vast distribution areas (D. filum is a cosmopolitan polyzonal species, and the others are semi-circumpolar arctic forms). Obviously, M. brevilingue should be considered as the most cold-tolerant beetle species of the Northern Hemisphere. This is the first report on the coleopteran fauna in the polar desert zone.     

Flies (Diptera) Associated with <Emphasis Type="Italic">Polygraphus proximus</Emphasis> Blandford, 1894 (Coleoptera,Curculionidae) in Siberia and the Russian Far East

The faunal composition of Diptera (Insecta) inhabiting the galleries of Polygraphus proximus over the territory of Siberia and the Russian Far East was studied. As a result, 14 species of Diptera were discovered representing 8 families. Within its secondary range, the invasive beetle P. proximus Blandford, 1894 is affected not only by the well-known introduced species Medetera penicillata Negrobov, 1970 but also by numerous other widespread predatory flies, such as Medetera excellens Frey, 1909, M. pinicola Kowarz, 1877, Xylophagus cinctus (De Geer, 1776), and Toxoneura ephippium (Zettersted, 1860). Four predatory fly species, M. penicillata, M. signaticornis Loew, 1857, Lonchaea bukowskii Czerny, 1934, and Xylophagus sachalinensis (Pleske, 1925), affect P. proximus within its native range in the Russian Far East. Data on the predation of each species of Diptera on several species of bark beetles testify to their polyphagy. Saprophagous larvae of Dicranomyia modesta (Meigen, 1818), Chalcosyrphus piger (Fabricius, 1794), Xylosciara lignicola (Winnertz, 1867), and Pseudolycoriella unispina (Mohrig et Krivosheina, 1983) were discovered in bark beetle galleries for the first time.     

Mites (Acari) phoretic on ground beetles (Coleoptera,Carabidae) in a southern taiga forest in the environs of Vologda

Ground beetles were captured in a mixed southern taiga forest near the city of Vologda, Russia, from March to September 2014 using different collection techniques. Of the 250 specimens of ground beetles belonging to 22 species, 109 beetles representing 11 species yielded 326 specimens of mites of the cohorts Gamasina (4 species), Astigmatina (5), and Heterostigmatina (1). Two mite species, Antennoseius pseudospinosus Eidelberg, 1990, a common species in the steppes of southeastern Europe, and Halodarcia incideta Karg, 1969, a polyzonal European hydrophile, are recorded in the taiga zone for the first time. Dorsipes dorsipes Regenfuss, 1968, a specialized parasite of beetles of the genus Carabus Linnaeus, 1758, is new to the fauna of Eastern Europe. An adult mite of the genus Stylochirus G. Canestrini et R. Canestrini, 1882 was found for the first time in a natural hibernating chamber in close contact with an overwintering ground beetle, in particular, a male of S. fimetarius (Müller, 1859) on Carabus granulatus Linnaeus, 1785. The most common mite to occur on ground beetles was Antennoseius bullitus Karg, 1969, which was found on 7 carabid species with the mean occurrence of 41% and comprised 68% of the total mite sample. Joint phoresy of 2–3 mite species was recorded on 12 specimens of ground beetles; in 5 cases the co-occurring mites were Antennoseius bullitus and Stylochirus fimetarius. Three dominant mite species (85% of the total mite sample) were mainly collected off three dominant carabid species (70% of the beetle sample), but individual mite species preferred different hosts.     

Beetles (Coleoptera) associated with the polypore <Emphasis Type="Italic">Daedaleopsis confragosa</Emphasis> (Bolton: Fr.) J. Schrot (Basidiomycetes,Aphyllophorales) in Forests of the Urals and Transurals

The beetle complex associated with Daedaleopsis confragosa (Bolton: Fr.) Schrot. (Basidiomycetes, Aphyllophorales) in the Urals and Transurals is characterized. A total of 54 species of 16 families were found in this complex, the commonest species including Cis comptus Gyll., Sulcacis affinis (Gyll.) (Ciidae), Tritoma subbasalis (Rtt.), Dacne bipustulata Thunb. (Erotylidae), Mycetophagus multipunctatus F., M. piceus (F.) (Mycetophagidae), and Thymalus oblongus Rtt. (Trogossitidae). The main trends of the ecological and trophic specialization of the mycetophilic beetles are discussed; some features of formation of their complexes at different stages of the tree-fungi fruit bodies formation were established.     

Male Horn Dimorphism and its Function in the Neotropical Dung Beetle <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sulcophanaeus velutinus</Emphasis>

Horned beetles are emerging models in the study of coevolution between novel morphologies and behavior. In Onthophagus beetles, large males use horns to fight other males in brood tunnels while small males with higher mobility sneak around the large males to gain access to females. Mating tactics have rarely been described in other dung beetle genera. We studied the horned dung beetle Sulcophanaeus velutinus that exhibits two parallel horns on the prothorax and one on the head. We put two males of different horn lengths, but similar mass, in observation chambers and found that the large male with longer horns won access to the female in physical competition. Speed tests in artificial tunnels show that locomotion is impeded in large males, suggesting an advantage in mobility for males with small horns. This work contributes to the limited existing evidence on the function of alternative morphologies in horned dung beetles taxa.