02643nas a2200301   4500008004100000245013000041210006900171300001200240490000700252520172600259653002301985653003102008653003702039653003102076653001602107653001202123653001302135653001502148653001602163653001702179653002202196653001602218653002202234653001602256653001502272100001902287856003502306       2002                        eng d00aThe role of the subelytral cavity in water loss in the flightless dung beetle, Circellium bacchus (Coleoptera : Scarabaeinae)0 arole of the subelytral cavity in water loss in the flightless du  a253-2580 v993 aCircellium bacchus is a flightless telecoprid (ball-rolling) dung beetle, endemic to the afrotropical region, where it is found in a few restricted populations in the eastern Cape of South Africa. Its apterous condition and large size (mass ranges from 6 to 12 g) are considered to be adaptations to a semi-arid habitat. This beetle is active in the sun for long periods, walking between widely scattered dung pats, thus is under selection pressure to reduce water loss. C bacchus has eight spiracles on each side of the body. The metathoracic spiracle and six abdominal spiracles open into the sub-elytral cavity, which is closed. The mesothoracic spiracle is the largest and most exposed, occurring ventrally in the membrane connecting the prothorax and mesothorax. When at rest a cyclic form of respiration, known as discontinuous gas exchange cycle, is used by C. bacchus, releasing a burst of carbon dioxide approximately once an hour when the spiracles open for about 33 minutes. Flow-through respirometry was used to measure water loss from the thorax (being the head, prothorax and mesothorax) and elytral case (containing the metathorax and abdomen) separately. The total water loss of C. bacchus could be divided up as 65% cuticular water loss from the thorax, 35% cuticular water loss from the elytral case, 4% respiratory water loss from the thorax and no measurable respiratory water loss from the elytral case. 1.51 mug of water is lost for every mul of CO2 emitted during respiration in the thorax. Thus, the main avenue for both respiration and respiratory water loss is via the mesothoracic spiracles, suggesting that the primary function of the subelytral cavity is not to reduce respiratory water loss.10aCircellium bacchus10adesert tenebrionid beetles10adiscontinuous gas exchange cycle10aDiscontinuous gas-exchange10adung beetle10ainsects10apatterns10aphysiology10arespiration10aScarabaeidae10asubelytral cavity10aterrestrial10atrait information10aventilation10awater loss1 aDuncan, F., D.  u<Go to ISI>://000177174200016 00350nas a2200109   4500008004100000245006600041210006300107300001200170490000700182100001700189856003400206       1993                        eng d00aEstimation of Dung Beetle Biomass (Coleoptera, Scarabaeoidea)0 aEstimation of Dung Beetle Biomass Coleoptera Scarabaeoidea  a235-2380 v901 aLobo, J., M.  u<Go to ISI>://A1993LL7750001202627nas a2200253   4500008004100000020001400041245009800055210006900153300001200222490000800234520190000242653002702142653001702169653001402186653001902200653001602219653001802235653001802253653001502271653002102286653001702307100001502324856003402339       2004                        eng d  a1210-575900aDung feeding in hydrophilid, geotrupid and scarabaeid beetles: Examples of parallel evolution0 aDung feeding in hydrophilid geotrupid and scarabaeid beetles Exa  a365-3720 v1013 aThe maximum size of ingested ball-shaped particles was determined in three species of adult dung feeding beetle: Anoplotrupes (Geotrupes) stercorosus and Geotrupes spiniger (Geotrupidae, Geotrupinae) and Sphaeridium lunatum (Hydrophilidae, Sphaeridiinae). Maximum diameters were 40-65 mum, 60-75 mum and 16-19 mum in A. stercorosus, G. spiniger and S. lunatum, respectively, and it was concluded that these beetles feed in the same way as found in previous studies on coprophagous scarabaeids (Scarabaeinae and Aphodiinae). Coarse particles, mainly indigestible plant fragments, are rejected by an unknown filtering mechanism, and only very small particles are actually ingested. The two geotrupids, however, tolerate somewhat larger particles than do scarabaeines of similar size. This may reflect a lower degree of specialisation towards dung feeding in the geotrupids than in the scarabaeines. In several ways, the mouthparts of the coprophagous Scarabaeidae, Geotrupidae and Hydrophilidae show essentially the same morphological modifications that must be adaptations for dung feeding. For the hydrophilid (Sphaeridium), such modifications are described for the first time. They include asymmetric mandibular molars (right convex, left concave), fitting exactly into each other, with highly specialised surfaces that may concentrate the food prior to ingestion by squeezing fluid out of it. Other examples are the conjunctives (scarabaeids and geotrupids) or similar structures (the hydrophilid) and the large, hairy, pad-like distal lobes of the maxillar galeae. Provided that current views on the evolutionary history of these beetles are correct, dung feeding has arisen independently in the Scarabaeidae, Geotrupidae and Hydrophilidae. If so, the feeding on very small particles and the concomitant modifications of mouthparts in these three groups must be results of parallel evolution.10aCOLEOPTERA dung beetle10aDung beetles10aevolution10afeeding habits10aGeotrupidae10aHELMINTH EGGS10ahydrophilidae10aMouthparts10aparticle feeding10aScarabaeidae1 aHolter, P.  u<Go to ISI>://000224407300003