Biogeographical affinities and species richness of copronecrophagous beetles in the southeastern Mexican High Plateau

In this study we establish the biogeographical affinities of the Scarabaeoidea dung beetle fauna in the dry southeast of the Mexican Plateau and analyze species diversity and how it changes with site, soil and vegetation type. Beetles were systematically captured in six windows in the region between...

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Main Authors: Alfonsina Arriaga, Gonzalo Halffter, Claudia Moreno
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México 2012-06-01
Series:Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad
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Online Access:https://revista.ib.unam.mx/index.php/bio/article/view/933
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author Alfonsina Arriaga
Gonzalo Halffter
Claudia Moreno
author_facet Alfonsina Arriaga
Gonzalo Halffter
Claudia Moreno
author_sort Alfonsina Arriaga
collection DOAJ
description In this study we establish the biogeographical affinities of the Scarabaeoidea dung beetle fauna in the dry southeast of the Mexican Plateau and analyze species diversity and how it changes with site, soil and vegetation type. Beetles were systematically captured in six windows in the region between Perote, Veracruz and El Seco, Puebla. A total of 9 species and 960 beetles belonging to Scarabaeinae, Aphodiinae and Trogidae were captured. Canthon humectus humectus and Phanaeus quadridens were found in greater abundance in cattle pastures. Trox plicatus is the only species captured in the badlands. The beetle fauna of this landscape is poor owing to a combination of circumstances, mainly the soil, recent volcanic activity and limited food availability. The results obtained are compared with those of two other dry landscapes in central Mexico (Metztitlán and Tehuacán). Our landscape shares 50% of its species with Metztitlán and 37.5% with Tehuacán. The species shared between all three landscapes are Canthon (B.) puncticollis, Onthophagus lecontei and Labarrus pseudolividus. The fauna was characteristic of the southern Mexican Plateau, but poorer in both the number of species and individuals; some species—expected from a biogeographic perspective—were missing.
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spelling doaj-art-e1049a70cd9041a78dda7c547fed0a762025-08-20T02:24:51ZengUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoRevista Mexicana de Biodiversidad1870-34532007-87062012-06-0183210.22201/ib.20078706e.2012.2.933Biogeographical affinities and species richness of copronecrophagous beetles in the southeastern Mexican High PlateauAlfonsina ArriagaGonzalo HalffterClaudia MorenoIn this study we establish the biogeographical affinities of the Scarabaeoidea dung beetle fauna in the dry southeast of the Mexican Plateau and analyze species diversity and how it changes with site, soil and vegetation type. Beetles were systematically captured in six windows in the region between Perote, Veracruz and El Seco, Puebla. A total of 9 species and 960 beetles belonging to Scarabaeinae, Aphodiinae and Trogidae were captured. Canthon humectus humectus and Phanaeus quadridens were found in greater abundance in cattle pastures. Trox plicatus is the only species captured in the badlands. The beetle fauna of this landscape is poor owing to a combination of circumstances, mainly the soil, recent volcanic activity and limited food availability. The results obtained are compared with those of two other dry landscapes in central Mexico (Metztitlán and Tehuacán). Our landscape shares 50% of its species with Metztitlán and 37.5% with Tehuacán. The species shared between all three landscapes are Canthon (B.) puncticollis, Onthophagus lecontei and Labarrus pseudolividus. The fauna was characteristic of the southern Mexican Plateau, but poorer in both the number of species and individuals; some species—expected from a biogeographic perspective—were missing.https://revista.ib.unam.mx/index.php/bio/article/view/933copronecrophagous beetlesMexican High PlateauScarabaeinaeAphodiinaegeographic distribution
spellingShingle Alfonsina Arriaga
Gonzalo Halffter
Claudia Moreno
Biogeographical affinities and species richness of copronecrophagous beetles in the southeastern Mexican High Plateau
Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad
copronecrophagous beetles
Mexican High Plateau
Scarabaeinae
Aphodiinae
geographic distribution
title Biogeographical affinities and species richness of copronecrophagous beetles in the southeastern Mexican High Plateau
title_full Biogeographical affinities and species richness of copronecrophagous beetles in the southeastern Mexican High Plateau
title_fullStr Biogeographical affinities and species richness of copronecrophagous beetles in the southeastern Mexican High Plateau
title_full_unstemmed Biogeographical affinities and species richness of copronecrophagous beetles in the southeastern Mexican High Plateau
title_short Biogeographical affinities and species richness of copronecrophagous beetles in the southeastern Mexican High Plateau
title_sort biogeographical affinities and species richness of copronecrophagous beetles in the southeastern mexican high plateau
topic copronecrophagous beetles
Mexican High Plateau
Scarabaeinae
Aphodiinae
geographic distribution
url https://revista.ib.unam.mx/index.php/bio/article/view/933
work_keys_str_mv AT alfonsinaarriaga biogeographicalaffinitiesandspeciesrichnessofcopronecrophagousbeetlesinthesoutheasternmexicanhighplateau
AT gonzalohalffter biogeographicalaffinitiesandspeciesrichnessofcopronecrophagousbeetlesinthesoutheasternmexicanhighplateau
AT claudiamoreno biogeographicalaffinitiesandspeciesrichnessofcopronecrophagousbeetlesinthesoutheasternmexicanhighplateau