New behavior report by Canthon virens (Mannerheim, 1829) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) in Southeastern Brazil

Glauco C. S. Oliveira; Nathália R. Henriques; Julio Louzada; Letícia  Vieira

doi:10.37486/2675-1305.ec04023

Authors

Glauco C. S. Oliveira Universidade Federal de Lavras (UFLA), Lavras, MG https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9811-8485
Nathália R. Henriques Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9811-8485
Julio Louzada Universidade Federal de Lavras (UFLA), Lavras, MG https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1481-3112
Letícia Vieira Universidade Federal de Lavras (UFLA), Lavras, MG https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1077-589X

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.37486/2675-1305.ec04023

Keywords:

Atta, Dung beetle, Food Resource, Leaf-cutting ants

Abstract

Canthon virens (Mannerheim, 1829) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) prey on leaf-cutting ants, using their body for provisioning larvae, as part of the reproductive behavior. Here, we report an observation of a new behavior of C. virens during the predation of Atta laevigata (Smith, 1858) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Southeastern Brazil. We observed a C. virens rolling a fruit capsule of Eucalyptus sp., which may indicate an ant’s escape strategy from the predation.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Aquino, P. S. R.; Jesus, F. G.; Rocha, E. C.; Della-Lucia, T. M. C.; Zanuncio, J. C.; Araújo, M. S. (2018) Predation rates of a beetle (Canthon virens) that kills female leaf-cutting ants (Atta spp.). International Journal of Agriculture & Biology, 20(5): 1247-1250.

Braga, R. F.; Korasaki, V.; Audino, L. D.; Louzada, J. (2012) Are dung beetles driving dung-fly abundance in traditional agricultural areas in the Amazon?. Ecosystems, 15: 1173-1181. doi: 10.1007/s10021-012-9576-5

Forti, L. C.; Rinaldi, I. M. P.; Camargo, R. D. S.; Fujihara, R. T. (2012) Predatory behavior of Canthon virens (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae): a predator of leaf-cutter ants. Psyche, 2012: 921465. doi: 10.1155/2012/921465

Griffiths, H. M.; Louzada, J.; Bardgett, R. D.; Beiroz, W.; França, F.; Tregidgo, D.; Barlow, J. (2015) Biodiversity and environmental context predict dung beetle‐mediated seed dispersal in a tropical forest field experiment. Ecology, 96(6): 1607-1619. doi: 10.1890/14-1211.1

Halffter, G.; Matthews, E. G. (1966) The Natural History of Dung Beetles of the Subfamily Scarabaeinae (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae México, D.F.: Sociedad Mexicana de Entomología.

Hanski, I.; Cambefort, Y. (1991) Dung Beetle Ecology. Princeton University Press, New Jersey: Princeton.

Hernández, J. V.; Cabrera, A.; Jaffe, K. (1999) Mandibular gland secretion in different castes of the leaf-cutter ant Atta laevigata. Journal of Chemical Ecology, 25: 2433-2444. doi: 10.1023/A:1020813905989

Hertel, F.; Colli, G. R. (1998) The use of leaf-cutter ants, Atta laevigata (Smith) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), as a substrate for oviposition by the dung beetle Canthon virens Mannerheim (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) in central Brazil. Coleopterists Bulletin, 52: 105-108.

Hughes, W. O.; Howse, P. E.; Goulson, D. (2001) Mandibular gland chemistry of grass-cutting ants: species, caste, and colony variation. Journal of Chemical Ecology, 27: 109-124. doi: 10.1023/A:1005624101743

Larsen, T. H.; Lopera, A.; Forsyth, A.; Génier, F. (2009) From coprophagy to predation: a dung beetle that kills millipedes. Biology Letters, 5(2): 152-155. doi: 10.1098/rsbl.2008.0654

Linchti, I. (1937) Canthon dives Harold (Coleoptera: Copridae), predador das fêmeas de Atta laevigata Smith (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Revista de Entomologia, 7: 117-118.

Marinho, C. G. S.; Oliveira, M. A.; Araújo, M. S.; Ribeiro, M. M. R.; Della-Lucia, T. M. C. (2011) Voo nupcial ou revoada de formigas-cortadeiras. In: Della-Lucia, T. M. C (Ed.). Formigas-cortadeiras: da biologia ao manejo, pp. 165-172. Viçosa-MG: UFV.

Nichols, E.; Spector, S.; Louzada, J.; Larsen, T.; Amezquita, S.; Favila, M. E. (2008) Ecological functions and ecosystem services provided by Scarabaeinae dung beetles. Biological Conservation, 141(6): 1461-1474. doi: 10.1016/j.biocon.2008.04.011

Riley, R. G.; Silverstein, R. M.; Moser, J. C. (1974) Isolation, identification, synthesis and biological activity of volatile compounds from the heads of Atta ants. Journal of Insect Physiology, 20(8): 1629-1637. doi: 10.1016/0022-1910(74)90092-4

Silva, F. A. B.; Vidaurre, T.; Vaz-de-Mello, F.; Louzada, J. (2012) Predatory behaviour in Deltochilum: convergente evolution or a primitive character within a clade? Journal of Natural History, 46(21-22): 1359-1367. doi: 10.1080/00222933.2012.658584

Silveira, F. A. O.; Santos, J. C.; Viana, L. R.; Falqueto, S. A.; Vaz-de-Mello, F. Z.; Fernandes, G. W. (2006) Predation on Atta laevigata (Smith, 1858) (Formicidae: Attini) by Canthon virens (Mannerheim, 1829) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). Tropical Zoology, 19(1): 1-7.

Vaz-de-Mello, F.; Larsen, T.; Silva, F.; Gill, B.; Favila, M.; Spector, S. (2021) Canthon virens. In: The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, Version 2014.1. . Access on: 18.viii.2021.

Vaz-de-Melo, F. Z.; Louzada, J. N. C.; Schoereder, J. H. (1998) New data and comments on Scarabaeidae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea) associated with Attini (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). The Coleopterists Bulletin, 52(3): 209-216.