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Cave, R.D. (2005) SCIENTIFIC NOTE: Observations of urban dung beetles utilizing dog feces (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). The Coleopterists Bulletin 59(3): 400-401.

This note presents a compilation of observations of dung beetles found utilizing dog dung in Austin, Texas. A total of 1,272 dung beetles representing sixteen species were found between September 1999 and January 2004. Locations where beetles were collected or observed ranged from approximately 25 km east to 12 km west, and 12.3 km south to 10.95 km north of the State Capitol building. Identifications were made using keys published by Howden and Cartwright (1963), Woodruff (1973), Gordon (1983), and Ratcliffe (1991).

Eleven species had not been previously documented to use dog dung. Four of these species were found in relatively large numbers (numbers observed in parentheses): Pseudocanthon perplexus (LeConte) (410), Canthon (Glaphyrocanthon) viridis (Beauvois) (100), Aphodius bicolor (Say) (193) and Ataenius spretulus (Haldeman) (282). Only 11 Canthon cyanellus (LeConte) have been found to date, but it has been found in both July and January, suggesting year round adult activity.

Six species have been found in low numbers, possibly indicating that their presence in dog dung is coincidental. Three species, Aphodius lividus (Olivier) (2), Aphodius granarius (L.) (2), and Ataenius platensis (Blanchard) (7) are generalist dung and detritus feeders (Woodruff 1973; Ratcliffe 1991). Aphodius serval (Say) (5) is also thought to be a generalist (Gordon 1983). Two Onthophagus species, O. gazella (F.) (1) and O. medorensis (Brown) (3), were also found in low numbers.