01968nas a2200217   4500008004100000245015400041210006900195260000800264300001400272490000700286520115400293653000901447653001701456653001501473653002701488653001901515653001901534100002401553700003501577856013801612       2006                        eng d00aThe action of post-dispersal beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) and ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) on scats of Didelphis spp. (Mammalia: Didelphidae)0 aaction of postdispersal beetles Coleoptera Scarabaeidae and ants  cDec  a1197-12030 v543 aA two year study of dung beetles and ants acting on scats of two species of opossum (Didelphis spp.) was carried out. Scats were left in the field in order to detect post-dispersal agents. A portion of each scat (30 %) was examined for seeds in the laboratory. Beetles were recovered from burrows (51 % of 84 faecal samples left in the field) where they either buried scats of opossums or were attracted, together with ants, to pitfalls (N= 10) baited with opossum scats. Dung beetles were the main post-dispersal agents of seeds found in scats of opossums, rolling the scats away or burying then on the site of deposition. They buried faeces at 4 to 15 cm in depth (N= 22 tunnels). The main dung beetles identified (medium to large size) were Eurysternus (28.7 % in pitfalls) and Dichotomius (13.7 %), Coprophanaeus (seen only directly on faeces), besides small-bodied beetles (<10 mm; 57.6 %). The ant Acromirmex sp. transported some seeds from scats. This species was present in 25.5 % of all Formicidae samples (pitfall). These post-dispersal agents contribute to avert scat seed predators such as rodents, and to accelerate seed bank formation.10aants10aDung beetles10amarsupials10apost dispersal insects10aseed dispersal10asmall mammals.1 aCaceres, Nilton, C.1 aMonteiro-Filho, Emygdio, L. A.  uhttps://scarabnet.myspecies.info/action-post-dispersal-beetles-coleoptera-scarabaeidae-and-ants-hymenoptera-formicidae-scats-didelphi