Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

The genus Cyclocephala Dejean (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae) in Brazil: diversity and spatio-temporal distribution

  • ORIGINAL PAPER
  • Published:
Journal of Insect Conservation Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The genus Cyclocephala Dejean (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Dynastinae) contains approximately 350 species and is found mainly in the Neotropical region. These species function in the cycling of organic matter, act as bioindicators of environmental quality, and some species are considered agricultural pests. This study attempted to analyze the spatio-temporal distribution and diversity of Cyclocephala species across five Brazilian biomes, and to understand the factors that influence their distribution. Climatic variables (temperature, humidity, and precipitation), spatial variables (latitude, longitude, and elevation), and the landscape composition around the sampling areas were evaluated. Insects were collected using light traps in areas of native vegetation in the Amazon, Cerrado, Atlantic Rainforest, Pampa, and Caatinga biomes. Sampling was carried out monthly from June 2015 to May 2016. A total of 5695 individuals across 38 species of Cyclocephala were collected, including five species recorded for the first time in Brazil. The Amazon biome contains the greatest species richness and abundance of Cyclocephala species among all studied biomes, with 73.68% of collected species being endemic to this biome. The richness and abundance of species in this genus were influenced by climatic factors, such as temperature (and its interactions with precipitation and relative humidity) and the interaction between precipitation and relative humidity, and by spatial factors, such as longitude, but not by the percentage of vegetation remaining in the landscape. Cyclocephala species showed seasonal abundances and aggregated distribution, which varied according to the climatic characteristics of each biome.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Agostinelli C, Lund U (2018) R package 'circular': circular Statistics (version 0.4-7). 2013. https://r-forge.r-project.org/projects/circular/. Accessed 15 Mar 2019

  • Albuquerque LSC (2013) Influência de fatores abióticos sobre o período de atividade de Dynastinae Macleay (Melolonthidae) noturnos em um fragmento de floresta atlântica de Pernambuco. Dissertation, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil

  • Almeida DS (2016) Recuperação ambiental da Mata Atlântica. (on line) 3ed. Editus, Ilhéus, Brazil

  • Andreazze R, Fonseca CR (1998) Dinastíneos (Coleoptera, Scarabaeoidea, Melolonthidae) em uma área de terra firme na Amazônia central, Brasil. Acta Amazon 28:59–66

    Google Scholar 

  • Brandon K, Fonseca GAB, Rylands AB, Silva JMC (2005) Conservação brasileira: desafios e oportunidades. Megadiversidade 1:7–13

    Google Scholar 

  • Cavalcante TRM, Naves RV, Franceschinelli EV, Silva RP (2009) Polinização e formação de frutos em araticum. Bragantia 68:13–21

    Google Scholar 

  • Chao A, Ma KH, Hsieh TC (2016) iNEXT (iNterpolation and EXTrapolation) Online: software for interpolation and extrapolation of species diversity. Program and User’s Guide. https://chao.stat.nthu.edu.tw/wordpress/software_download. Accessed 26 April 2019

  • Cherman MA, Morón MA, Salvadori JR, Dal Prá E, Guedes JVC (2014) Análise populacional de corós-praga e de outras espécies no Planalto do Rio Grande do Sul. Cienc Rural 44:2095–2102

    Google Scholar 

  • Costa MS, Silva RJ, Paulino-Neto HF, Pereira MJB (2017) Beetle pollination and flowering rhythm of Annona coriacea Mart. (Annonaceae) in Brazilian Cerrado: behavioral features of its principal pollinators. PLoS ONE 12:e0171092. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0171092

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Coutinho GV (2015) Diversidade, aspectos biológicos e comportamentais de Melolonthidae encontrados em canaviais da região sul de Mato Grosso do Sul. PhD Thesis, Universidade Federal da Grande Dourados, Dourados/MS, Brazil

  • Coutinho GV, Rodrigues SR, Cruz EC, Abot AR (2011) Bionomic data and larval density of Scarabaeidae (Pleurosticti) in sugarcane in the central region of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. Rev Bras Entomol 55:389–395

    Google Scholar 

  • Crawley MJ (2007) The R book. Wiley, Chichester

    Google Scholar 

  • Dauber J, Purtauf T, Allspach A, Frisch K, Wolters V (2005) Local vs. landscape controls on diversity: a test using surface-dwelling soil macroinvertebrates of differing mobility. Global Ecol Biogeogr 14:213–221

    Google Scholar 

  • Dieringer G, Delgado L (1994) Notes on the biology of Cyclocephala jalapensis (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) an endemic of eastern Mexico. Southwest Entomol 19:309–311

    Google Scholar 

  • Duchini PG, Echeverria JR, Américo LF, Guzatti GC, Cherman MA, Sbrissia AF (2017) White grubs (Cyclocephala flavipennis) damaging perennial winter pastures in the South Region of Brazil. Cienc Rural 47:1–4

    Google Scholar 

  • Edwards TC Jr, Deshler ET, Foster D, Moisen GG (1996) Adequacy of wildlife habitat relation models for estimating spatial distributions of terrestrial vertebrates. Conserv Biol 10:263–270

    Google Scholar 

  • Endrödi S (1985) The dynastinae of the world. Dr. W. Junk Publisher (Series Entomologica, 28), Dordrecht

  • Ferreira J, Pardini R, Metzger JP, Fonseca CR, Pompeu CS, Sparovek G, Louzada J (2012) Towards environmentally sustainable agriculture in Brazil: challenges and opportunities for applied ecological research. J Appl Ecol 49:535–541

    Google Scholar 

  • Franklin J (2009) Mapping species distribution, spatial inference and prediction. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • Gasca-Álvarez HJ (2005) El significado de los escarabajos (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea) en una comunidad Uitoto de Leticia, Amazonas (Colombia) Una exploración preliminar a su conocimiento etnoentomológico. Bol Soc Entomol Aragonesa 36:309–315

    Google Scholar 

  • Gassen DN (2001) Benefícios de escarabeídeos em lavouras sob plantio direto. Procisur 159–168

  • Gavotto ALR (1964) Ciclo biológico de Cyclocephala signaticollis Burm. (Col. Scarabaeidae) y caracteres específicos de su larva. Rev Invest Agropec 1:151–161

    Google Scholar 

  • Germain RM, Weir JT, Gilbert B (2016) Species coexistence: macroevolutionary relationships and the contingency of historical interactions. Proc R Soc Lond B 283:20160047

    Google Scholar 

  • Geyer J, Kiefer I, Kreft S, Chavez V, Salafsky N, Jeltsch F, Ibisch PL (2011) Classification of climate-change-induced stresses on biological diversity. Conserv Biol 25:708–715

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gibernau M, Barabé D, Cerdan P, Dejean A (1999) Beetle pollination of Philodendron solimoesense (Araceae) in French Guiana. Int J Plant Sci 160:1135–1143

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gottsberger G (1986) Some pollination strategies in Neotropical savannas and forests. Plant Syst Evol 152:29–45

    Google Scholar 

  • Gottsberger G (1994) As anonáceas do cerrado e a sua polinização. Rev Bras Biol 54:391–402

    Google Scholar 

  • Grossi PC, Vaz-de-Mello FZ (2019) Melolonthidae. Catálogo Taxonômico da Fauna do Brasil. PNUD. https://fauna.jbrj.gov.br/fauna/faunadobrasil/145371. Accessed 14 May 2019

  • Hammer O, Harper DAT, Brian PD (2001) Past: Palaenthological statistics software package or education and data analysis. Version 3.14. 2001. https://palaeoeletronica.org/2001_1/past/issue1_01.htm. Accessed 5 Feb 2018

  • Hernandez MIM (2007) Besouros escarabeíneos (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) da caatinga paraibana, Brasil. Rev Oecol Bras 11:356–364

    Google Scholar 

  • Johann ADST, Mangolin LP, Sanches PV, Sebastién NY, Topan DA, Piana PA, Gomes BM (2019) Urbanized tributary causes loss of biodiversity in a neotropical river segment. Water Air Soil Pollut 230:118

    Google Scholar 

  • Klink CA, Machado RB (2005) A conservação do Cerrado brasileiro. Megadiversidade 1:147–155

    Google Scholar 

  • Kovach WL (2011) Oriana—Circular Statistics for Windows, ver. 4. Kovach Computing Services, Pentraeth

  • Lande R (1998) Anthropogenic, ecological and genetic factors in extinction and conservation. Popul Ecol 40:259–269

    Google Scholar 

  • Lengyel S, Déri E, Magura T (2016) Species richness responses to structural or compositional habitat diversity between and within grassland patches: a multi-taxon approach. PLoS ONE 11:e0149662

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Machado LA (2006) Estudos biológicos e comportamentais de Migdolus fryanus (Westwood, 1863) (Coleoptera: Vesperidae) e sua interação com nematóides entomopatogênicos e outros agentes de mortalidade. PhD Thesis, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas/SP, Brazil

  • Macedo-Reis LE, Quesada M, Neves FS (2019) Forest cover drives insect guild diversity at different landscape scales in tropical dry forests. For Ecol Manag 443:36–42

    Google Scholar 

  • Maia ACD, Schlindwein C, Navarro DMAF, Gibernau M (2010) Pollination of Philodendron acutatum (Araceae) in the Atlantic forest of northeastern Brazil: a single scarab beetle species guarantees high fruit set. Int J Plant Sci 171:740–748

    Google Scholar 

  • Martin EA, Seo B, Park C-R, Reineking B, Steffen-Dwenter I (2016) Scale-dependent effects of landscape composition and configuration on natural enemy diversity, crop herbivory, and yields. Ecol Appl 26:448–462

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mittermeier RA, Robes-Gil P, Mittermeier CG (1997) Megadiversity: earth’s biologically wealthiest nations. CEMEX Agrupación Serra Madre, México

    Google Scholar 

  • Moore MR, Cave RC, Branham MA (2018) Annotated catalog and bibliography of the cyclocephaline scarab beetles (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Dynastinae, Cyclocephalini). Zookeys 745:101–378

    Google Scholar 

  • Morelli E, Alzugaray R (1994) Descripcion de la larva de Cyclocephala testacea Burmeister, 1847 y clave para la determinacion de larvas de cuatro especies del genero Cyclocephala en el Uruguay (Coleoptera, Dynastinae). Rev Bras Biol 54:77–84

    Google Scholar 

  • Muniz FH (2008) Padrões de floração e frutificação de árvores da Amazônia Maranhense. Acta Amazon 38:617–626

    Google Scholar 

  • Myers N, Mittermeier RA, Mittermeier CG, Fonseca GA, Kent J (2000) Biodiversity hotspots for conservation priorities. Nature 403:853

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Naeem S, Duffy JE, Zavaleta E (2012) The functions of biological diversity in an age of extinction. Science 336:1401–1406

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Nogueira GAL, Rodrigues SR, Tiago EF (2013) Biological aspects of Cyclocephala tucumana Brethes, 1904 and Cyclocephala melanocephala (Fabricius, 1775) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). Biota Neotrop 13:86–90

    Google Scholar 

  • Oliveira CM, Frizzas MR (2013) Field biology of the beetle Aegopsis bolboceridus in Brazil, with a list of host plants. J Insect Sci 13(48):1–15

    Google Scholar 

  • Oliveira CM, Frizzas MR (2019) How climate influences the biology and behaviour of Phyllophaga capillata (Coleoptera: Melolonthidae) in the Brazilian Cerrado. Austral Entomol 58:336–345

    Google Scholar 

  • Oliveira CM, Frizzas MR, Morón MA (2018) Phyllophaga nitididorsis (Coleoptera: Melolonthidae), the first biennial melolonthid recorded in the Brazilian Cerrado. Austral Entomol. https://doi.org/10.1111/aen.12362

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Otavo SE, Parrado-Rosselli AP, Noriega JA (2013) Superfamília Scarabaeoidea (Insecta: Coleoptera) como elemento bioindicador de perturbación antropogênica em um parque nacional amazónico. Rev Biol Trop 61:735–752

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Oliveira U, Paglia AP, Brescovit AD et al (2016) The strong influence of collection bias on biodiversity knowledge shortfalls of Brazilian terrestrial biodiversity. Diver Distrib 22:1232–1244

    Google Scholar 

  • Paarmann W, Adis J, Stork N et al (2001) The structure of ground beetle assemblages (Coleoptera: Carabidae) at fig fruit falls (Moraceae) in terra firme rain forest near Manaus (Brazil). J Trop Ecol 17:549–561

    Google Scholar 

  • Pinto R, Zanuncio Junior JS, Zanuncio TV, Zanuncio JC, Lacerda MC (2004) Coleópteros coletados com armadilhas luminosas em plantio de Eucalyptus urophylla na região amazônica brasileira. Cienc Flor 14:111–119

    Google Scholar 

  • Pires JM (1972) Estudos dos principais tipos de vegetação do estuário amazônico. PhD Thesis, ESALQ, Piracicaba/SP, Brazil

  • Por FD, Imperatriz-Fonseca VL, Lencioni F (2005) Biomes of Brazil: an illustrated natural history. Pensoft Publishers, Sofia, Bulgaria, p 208

    Google Scholar 

  • Prăvălie R (2018) Major perturbations in the Earth's forest ecosystems. Possible implications for global warming. Earth-Sci Rev 185:544–571

    Google Scholar 

  • Ratcliffe BC (2003) The Dynastinae scarab beetles of Costa Rica and Panama (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae). Bull Univ Neb State Mus 16:1–506

    Google Scholar 

  • Ratcliffe BC (2008) More new species of Cyclocephala Dejean, 1821 from South America (Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae: Cyclocephalini). Coleopt Bull 62:221–224

    Google Scholar 

  • Ratcliffe BC, Cave RD (2006) The Dynastine scarab beetles of Honduras, Nicaragua and El Salvador (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae). Bull Univ Neb State Mus 21:1–424

    Google Scholar 

  • Riehs PJ (2006) Fenologia de algumas espécies do gênero Cyclocephala (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae) do leste e Centro-Oeste do Paraná, Brasil. Rev Cienc Exatas Nat 8:201–223

    Google Scholar 

  • Rodrigues SR, Nogueira GAL, Echeverria RR, Oliveira VS (2010) Aspectos biológicos de Cyclocephala verticalis Burmeister (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). Neotrop Entomol 39:15–18

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rodrigues JLM, Pellizari VH, Mueller R, Baek K, Jesus EC, Paula FS, Mirza B, Hamaoui GS Jr, Tsai SM, Feigl B, Tiedje JM, Bohannan BJM, Nüsslein K (2013) Conversion of the Amazon rainforest to agriculture results in biotic homogenization of soil bacterial communities. PNAS 110:988–993

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Roesch LF, Vieira F, Pereira V, Schünemann AL, Teixeira I, Senna AJ, Stefenon VM (2009) The Brazilian Pampa: a fragile biome. Diversity 1:182–198

    Google Scholar 

  • Santos V, Ávila CJ (2007) Aspectos bioecológicos de Cyclocephala forsteri Endrodi, 1963 (Coleoptera: Melolonthidae) no estado do Mato Grosso do Sul. Rev Agric 82:28–30

    Google Scholar 

  • Schmidt MH, Thies C, Nentwig W, Tscharntke T (2008) Contrasting responses of arable spiders to the landscape matrix at different spatial scales. J Biogeogr 35:157–166

    Google Scholar 

  • Silva JMC, Leal IR, Tabarelli M (2018) Caatinga the largest tropical dry forest region in South America. Springer, Berlin

    Google Scholar 

  • Souza TB, Maia ACD, Albuquerque CMR, Iannuzzi L (2015) Biology and management of the masked chafer Cyclocephala distincta Burmeister (Melolonthidae, Dynastinae, Cyclocephalini). Rev Bras Entomol 59:37–42

    Google Scholar 

  • Stechauner-Rohringer R, Pardo-Locarno LC (2010) Redescriptión de inmaduros, ciclo de vida, distribución e importancia agrícola de Cyclocephala lunulata Burmeister (Coleoptera: Melolonthidae: Dynastinae) en Colombia. Bol Cient Mus Hist Nat Univ Caldas 14:203–220

    Google Scholar 

  • Wolda H (1980) Seasonality of tropical insects. J Anim Ecol 49:277–290

    Google Scholar 

  • Wolda H (1988) Insect seasonality: why? Ann Rev Ecol Syst 19:1–18

    Google Scholar 

  • Wright SJ, Van Schaik CP (1994) Light and the phenology of tropical trees. Am Nat 143:193–199

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors thank the University of Brasília and the Zoology Graduate Program for the infrastructure made available for this work, and the researchers at Embrapa Cerrados, especially Dr. Alexandre Specht, for access to collection materials. MRF and CMO have CNPq (National Council for Scientific and Technological Development) fellowships (313952/2018-3 and 312050/2017-8). PCG thanks CNPq (Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico), Edital Universal, process number 449366/2014-6.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology, University of Brasília (UnB), Brasília, DF, Brazil

    Jacqueline A. Gonçalves & Marina R. Frizzas

  2. Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (Ibama), Ministry of the Environment, Brasília, DF, Brazil

    Jacqueline A. Gonçalves

  3. Department of Agronomy and Plant Health, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil

    Paschoal C. Grossi

  4. Department of Ecology, University of Brasília (UnB), Brasília, DF, Brazil

    Pedro H. B. Togni

  5. Embrapa Cerrados, Planaltina, DF, Brazil

    Charles M. Oliveira

Authors
  1. Jacqueline A. Gonçalves
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Paschoal C. Grossi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Pedro H. B. Togni
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Charles M. Oliveira
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Marina R. Frizzas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Charles M. Oliveira.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Gonçalves, J.A., Grossi, P.C., Togni, P.H.B. et al. The genus Cyclocephala Dejean (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae) in Brazil: diversity and spatio-temporal distribution. J Insect Conserv 24, 547–559 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10841-020-00230-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10841-020-00230-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation