“sit and wait” behavior in dung beetles at the source of primate dung* Dung beet
“sit and wait” behavior in dung beetles at the source of primate dung* Dung beetles remove freshly deposited dung and eat it or use it to lay their eggs in dung “brood balls”. Dung removal results in a variety of important ecosystem functions including nutrient cycling, seed dispersal and control of pests and parasites. The Neotropics contain a large number of dung beetle species, even though Neotropical forests do not have abundant populations of large vertebrates to provide dung. As a result, Neotropical dung beetles have to compete intensely for dung, an ephemeral but irreplaceable resource. Scientists have discovered an unusual competition strategy in the Neotropical dung beetle Canthon aff. quadriguttatus (Olivier): they live attached to the tail or genital region of the primate species whose dung they use. By living on the monkeys, they are guaranteed quick access to their dung, to which they attach as it is being evacuated or immediately after. After consuming the dung, they climb back on the monkeys. From a distance, the presence of these beetle aggregations make the monkeys appear to have shiny objects around their tails. Source: amnh Photo 1. Brown titi monkey from the infested family group with many C. guadriguttatus attached to the fur above the tail. ( by Job Aben) Photo 2. Genital region of a brown titi monkey from the family group infested with C. guadriguttatus beetles. (by Job Aben) Photo 3: Canthon aff. quadriguttatus by Brett Ratcliffe * Read more: Jacobs J, Nole I, Palminteri S, Ratcliffe B. 2008. First come, first serve: “sit and wait” behavior in dung beetles at the source of primate dung. Neotrop Entomol 37(6):641-5. -- source link
#dung beetle#callicebus brunneus#primate#canthon quadriguttatus#scarabaeidae#scarabaeinae