Associations of Afrotropical Coleoptera (Scarabaeidae: Aphodiidae: Staphylinidae: Hydrophilidae: Histeridae) with dung and decaying matter: implications for selection of fly-control agents for Australia

Abstract

Many beetles recorded from dung are known to frequent a range of different types of decaying matter. Therefore, the range of associations shown by dung Coleoptera near Pretoria in the Transvaal, South Africa, was studied to facilitate selection of dung specialists for introduction into Australia as control agents for cattle dung and dung-breeding fly pests. Although traps were baited with three different types of dung (cattle, horse, pig) and three types of decaying matter (banana, moistened grass clippings, animal offal), beetles were predominantly attracted to dung. The distribution patterns shown by the 86 most abundant species were classified using cluster analysis in order to summarize the major trends. Four clusters of species were shown at the 55% level of similarity. All but one of the 39 species in the first cluster were attracted primarily to omnivore dung (pig). Another 31 species in a second cluster were attracted primarily to herbivore dung (cattle, horse). All but one of 14 species in a third cluster were attracted primarily to non-ruminant herbivore dung (horse) whereas the remaining two species in the fourth cluster were carrion specialists (offal). Species suitable as control agents for cattle dung flies in Australia may best be selected from the cluster of herbivore taxa.