Spatial and temporal variations of aridity shape dung beetle assemblages towards the Sahara desert

Assemblage responses to environmental gradients are key to understand the general principles behind the assembly and functioning of communities. The spatially and temporally uneven distribution of water availability in drylands creates strong aridity gradients. While the effects of spatial variations of aridity are relatively well known, the influence of the highly-unpredictable seasonal and inter-annual precipitations on dryland communities has been seldom addressed. Aims: Here, we study the seasonal and inter-annual responses of dung beetle. Dung beetle abundance and species richness showed large seasonal variations, but remained relatively similar between years. Indeed, aridity and its interaction with season and year were the strongest correlates of variations in species richness and composition. Increasing aridity resulted in decreasing species richness and an ordered replacement of species, namely the substitution of the Mediterranean fauna by desert assemblages dominated by saprophagous and generalist species both in space towards the Sahara and in the dry season.Indradatta deCastro-Arrazola was funded by an FPI grant from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (BES-2012-054353). This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation project SCARPO (grant CGL2011-29317)

Macrocheles species (Acari: Macrochelidae) associated with human corpses in Europe

The biology of macrochelid mites might offer new venues for the interpretation of the environmental conditions surrounding human death and decomposition. Three human corpses, one from Sweden and two from Spain, have been analysed for the occurrence of Macrochelidae species. Macrocheles muscaedomesticae females were associated with a corpse that was found in a popular beach area of southeast Spain. Their arrival coincides with the occurrence of one of their major carrier species, the filth fly Fannia scalaris, the activity of which peaks during mid-summer. M. glaber specimens were collected from a corpse in a shallow grave in a forest in Sweden at the end of summer, concurrent with the arrival of beetles attracted by odours from the corpse. M. perglaber adults were sampled from a corpse found indoors in the rural surroundings of Granada city, Spain. The phoretic behaviour of this species is similar to that of M. glaber, but being more specific to Scarabaeidae and Geotrupidae dung beetles, most of which favour human faeces. M. muscaedomesticae is known from urban and rural areas and poultry farms; M. glaber from outdoors, particularly the countryside; while M. perglaber from outdoor, rural, and remote, potentially mountainous locations. M. muscaedomesticae and M. perglaber are reported for the first time from the Iberian Peninsula. This is the first record of M. perglaber from human remains

Macrocheles species (Acari: Macrochelidae) associated with human corpses in Europe

The biology of macrochelid mites might offer new venues for the interpretation of the environmental conditions surrounding human death and decomposition. Three human corpses, one from Sweden and two from Spain, have been analysed for the occurrence of Macrochelidae species. Macrocheles muscaedomesticae females were associated with a corpse that was found in a popular beach area of southeast Spain. Their arrival coincides with the occurrence of one of their major carrier species, the filth fly Fannia scalaris, the activity of which peaks during mid-summer. M. glaber specimens were collected from a corpse in a shallow grave in a forest in Sweden at the end of summer, concurrent with the arrival of beetles attracted by odours from the corpse. M. perglaber adults were sampled from a corpse found indoors in the rural surroundings of Granada city, Spain. The phoretic behaviour of this species is similar to that of M. glaber, but being more specific to Scarabaeidae and Geotrupidae dung beetles, most of which favour human faeces. M. muscaedomesticae is known from urban and rural areas and poultry farms; M. glaber from outdoors, particularly the countryside; while M. perglaber from outdoor, rural, and remote, potentially mountainous locations. M. muscaedomesticae and M. perglaber are reported for the first time from the Iberian Peninsula. This is the first record of M. perglaber from human remains

Structure des communautés de Scarabéides coprophages du Maroc nord-occidental (Coleoptera, Scarabaeoidea)

International audienceUne étude comparée des communautés de Scarabéides coprophages a été réalisée entre 1999 et 2000 dans le Nord-Ouest du Maroc, entre l’Atlantique (Moulay Bouselham) et le Rif (Bab Taza) en passant par le bassin du Ghar(Souk El Arbaa, Sidi Kacem et Ouezzane). Des piégeages mensuels effectués dans cinq stations selon un protocole standardisé, ont permis la capture de 57 espèces. Larichesse spécifique varie peu d’un site à l’autre (entre 32 et 40 espèces). L’abondance de chaque guilde (rouleurs, fouisseurs et résidents)dépend de l’étage bioclimatique des sites. Ainsi, la guilde des rouleurs domine à Souk El Arbaa, les fouisseurs dominent à Sidi Kacem alors que les résidents, bien que plus fréquents, jouent partout un rôle mineur dans le processus de recyclage des bouses

Effects of the Attractiveness for Dung Beetles of Dung Pat Origin and Size Along a Climatic Gradient

International audienceDung beetle (Coleoptera: Geotrupidae, Scarabaeidae) assemblages were monitored by dung-baited pitfall trapping at three sites distributed along a bioclimatic gradient from semiarid to mesic temperate. For each type of dung, both small and large sized baits were used. Under semiarid conditions (Morocco), three dung beetle assemblages were distinguished: small bait assemblages in any dung; large cattle bait assemblages; large sheep bait assemblages. Under more temperate conditions (southern France and the Alps), only large and small bait assemblages were observed, whatever the origin of the dung. Large baits attracted significantly more species and more beetles than did small baits, and very few species were attracted significantly more by either sheep or goat baits than by cattle baits. A significant, positive correlation between dung beetle size and dung pat size was observed in Morocco where the large species are predominant, whereas a negative relationship was observed in southern France where the small species are predominant. Cattle pats were more attractive for beetles under xeric and Mediterranean conditions (Morocco and southern France) that under cold temperate conditions (Alps)

Acariens macrochelidae (Acari: Mesostigmata) phorétiques d'afrique I: Macrochelides coprophiles du Maroc

International audienceUn échantillonnage des coléoptères coprophages du nord-ouest du Maroc a permis d'identifier 13 espèces de Macrochelidae phorétiques (genres Macrocheles et Glyptholaspis), dont 3 nouvelles pour la science. Macrocheles perglaber est l'espèce généraliste la plus largement distribuée, en plaine et en montagne. Le coléoptère Scarabaeidae Bubas bison est le transporteur le plus attractif, avec 7 espèces de Macrochelidae transportées