Attractiveness of Dung Beetles to Different Types of Dung in a Coffee Plantation Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve

The attractiveness of dung beetles to the dung of pigs (omnivores), cattle and goats (herbivores) was assessed using dung-baited pitfall traps in a shaded coffee plantation belt in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve of the South Western Ghats. Results showed a high preference of dung beetles towards the dung of omnivorous mammals than herbivores. Thirty-eight species of dung beetles were collected from three dung types with 30 species in pig dung, 25 in cattle and 16 in goat dung. A high abundance of non specialists with no preference towards any dung type was recorded. Based on Indval analysis, five species namely, Onthophagus unifasciatus Schaller, O. insignicollis Frey, O. bronzeus Arrow, O. furcilifur Bates and Caccobius unicornis Fabricius were observed as specialists in pig dung and Onthophagus pacificus Lansberge and Onitis subopacus Arrow were identified as specialists in cattle and goat dung, respectively.