02886nas a2200229   4500008004100000245010000041210006900141300001000210490000600220520208200226653001702308653001802325653003202343653001602375653003102391653002502422653001802447100002002465700002402485700002102509856012602530       1999                        eng d00aDung beetle conservation: effects of habitat and resource selection (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea)0 aDung beetle conservation effects of habitat and resource selecti  a75-840 v33 aThere is increasing concern about the conservation of dung beetles which are threatened by several peculiar dangers worldwide, both at the population and community level. A noticeable threat in Europe is the dramatic reduction in the number of cattle and sheep grazing in the open, which is associated with both intensive agriculture and the progressive reforestation of previously pastured areas. We studied dung beetle habitat and resource preferences at La Mandria Park (north-west Italy) which is a mosaic of open and wooded patches where domestic (cows and horses) and wild ungulates (deer and wild boar) co-exist. Scarabaeidae were numerically dominant, accounting for 61.5% of the approximately 3000 individuals sampled (Aphodiidae accounted for 32.5% and Geotrupidae for only 6%). However, when species richness was considered, Aphodiidae were dominant, with 17 of the 27 species found (Scarabaeidae with eight and Geotrupidae with two). Assuming a null hypothesis of equal probability of colonizing any habitat or faeces, we found that most species were significantly associated with one of the four dung types or with one of the two habitats considered. On average, Scarabaeidae preferred cattle dung and open habitats whereas most Aphodiidae used deer lumps and wooded habitats. In spite of the precise ecological choices observed at La Mandria, surveys from other European areas suggest that both habitat and food selection are quite flexible. From a conservation viewpoint, the ability of coprophagous beetles to choose herbivore faeces according to their availability and to select habitats that satisfy their own microclimate requirements may certainly be useful in preserving biodiversity. Agroecology, which implies some woodland and hedgerow management practices associated with pastoralism, could be the right approach to the management of the agricultural landscape. Conversely, in reforested areas, while wild ungulate populations should be preserved, some form of human disturbance, particularly clearings used for pastoralism, should also be maintained. 10aconservation10adeforestation10adomestic and wild ungulates10adung beetle10ahabitat and food selection10aregeneration mammals10aScarabaeoidae1 aBarbero, Enrico1 aPalestrini, Claudia1 aRolando, Antonio  uhttps://scarabnet.myspecies.info/dung-beetle-conservation-effects-habitat-and-resource-selection-coleoptera-scarabaeoidea00930nas a2200241   4500008004100000245016100041210006900202300001400271490000700285653003000292653002200322653001900344653001700363653002500380653001600405653001600421100002200437700002000459700002400479700002600503700002100529856013800550       2004                        eng d00aBiogeographical patterns of genetic differentiation in dung beetles of the genus Trypocopris (Coleoptera, Geotrupidae) inferred from mtDNA and AFLP analyses0 aBiogeographical patterns of genetic differentiation in dung beet  a1149-11620 v3110aamplified fragment length10amitochondrial DNA10aphylogeography10apolymorphism10apopulation structure10asubspecies.10aTrypocopris1 aCarisio, Loredana1 aCervella, Piero1 aPalestrini, Claudia1 aDelPero, Massimiliano1 aRolando, Antonio  uhttps://scarabnet.myspecies.info/biogeographical-patterns-genetic-differentiation-dung-beetles-genus-trypocopris-coleoptera-geotrupid00682nas a2200181   4500008004100000245010900041210006900150300001200219490000800231653001500239653000900254653001700263653002300280100002400303700002000327700002100347856013200368       1998                        eng d00aIntra- and interspecific aggregation among dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea) in an Alpine pasture0 aIntra and interspecific aggregation among dung beetles Coleopter  a101-1090 v24510aaggregates10aDung10amate-finding10ascarabeoid beetles1 aPalestrini, Claudia1 aBarbero, Enrico1 aRolando, Antonio  uhttps://scarabnet.myspecies.info/intra-and-interspecific-aggregation-among-dung-beetles-coleoptera-scarabaeoidea-alpine-pasture02702nas a2200253   4500008004100000245017000041210006900211300001000280490000700290520175800297653001402055653002902069653004702098653002402145653001902169653002202188653000802210100001402218700001702232700002402249700001602273700002102289856013802310       2006                        eng d00aMale differentiation patterns in two polyphenic sister species of the genus Onthophagus Latreille, 1802 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae): a geometric morphometric approach0 aMale differentiation patterns in two polyphenic sister species o  a54-620 v443 aThis paper focuses on morphological (both shape and size) differences that quite similar polyphenic sister species evolve during divergence processes. Traits were analysed using a geometrical morphometric approach, which has the ability to evidence also very subtle differences in shape. As a case study, we considered males of the dung beetle sister species pair Onthophagus taurus and Onthophagus illyricus (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae); these species represent a typical example of polyphenic trait expression concerning the facultative development of horns and considerable body size differences. External shape morphology failed to discriminate O. taurus from O. illyricus, whereas the reproductive system shape showed significant interspecific discrimination power. However, the head of O. taurus was significantly larger than that of O. illyricus and the reverse was true for the elytra. The two species also showed different allometric values of the head with respect to body size. This complex pattern of interspecific morphological divergence is discussed in the light of the differential trait divergence rate hypothesis. In both species, differences between major and minor forms concern the overall shape of head and pronotum: we suggest that such different forms, which likely reflect morphological readjustment to accommodate horns of considerable bulk and disproportionate length, may be nevertheless advantageously used by the two male morphs in their alternative reproductive tactics. Male genitalia sizes were virtually constant with respect to body size; however, the ratio between phallotheca and body size was significantly higher in minor males, in keeping with the hypothesis of a higher investment in genitalia borne by this morph.10aallometry10adevelopmental investment10adifferentiation between species and morphs10aexternal morphology10amale genitalia10aSperm competition10a–1 aPizzo, A.1 aMercurio, D.1 aPalestrini, Claudia1 aRoggero, A.1 aRolando, Antonio  uhttps://scarabnet.myspecies.info/male-differentiation-patterns-two-polyphenic-sister-species-genus-onthophagus-latreille-1802-coleopt02684nas a2200169   4500008004100000245013200041210006900173300001200242490000700254520201800261100001402279700001602293700002402309700002202333700002102355856013802376       2008                        eng d00aRapid shape divergences between natural and introduced populations of a horned beetle partly mirror divergences between species0 aRapid shape divergences between natural and introduced populatio  a166-1750 v103 aOnthophagus taurus is a polyphenic beetle in which males express alternative major (horned) and minor (hornless) morphologies largely dependent on larval nutrition. O. taurus was originally limited to a Turanic--European-- Mediterranean distribution, but became introduced to several exotic regions in the late 1960s. Using geometric morphometrics, we investigate the present-day morphological shape differentiation patterns among native (Italian) and introduced (Western Australian and Eastern US) popu- lations. We then contrast these divergences to those observed between native O. taurus and its sympatric sister species O. illyricus. Our analysis failed to find significant divergences between O. taurus populations in external morphological traits (head, pronotum) when analyses were conducted separately for each sex. However, when sexes and male morphs were analyzed together, three important differences among populations emerged. First, relative warp analyses showed that native and introduced populations diverged in certain shape components that normally distin- guish major and minor male morphs. Second, comparison of covariation of body regions (head vs. pronotum) in the three populations showed that populations diverged in the nature of this covariation, suggesting that different body regions are not totally constrained to evolve in concert. Lastly, and most importantly, the analysis of genitalic shape revealed little to no divergence of female genitalia, but unexpected substantial differentiation of male genitalia among the three O. taurus populations. This suggests that genitalic shape divergence can occur extremely rapidly even in the absence of sympatry and possible reinforcement, and that the genitalia of males and females may diverge independent of one another, at least during the early stage of interpopulational divergence. Interpopulation divergences in O. taurus mirrored aspects of interspecific divergences between O. taurus and O. illyricus in some cases but not others. 1 aPizzo, A.1 aRoggero, A.1 aPalestrini, Claudia1 aMoczek, Armin, P.1 aRolando, Antonio  uhttps://scarabnet.myspecies.info/rapid-shape-divergences-between-natural-and-introduced-populations-horned-beetle-partly-mirror-diver