Differences in the reproductive behaviour and larval development of two Canthon rutilans subspecies reinforce their thermal regional segregation

Two dung beetle subspecies of Canthon rutilans Castelnau (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae, Scarabaeinae), C. rutilans rutilans and C. rutilans cyanescens, inhabit different environmental temperature conditions in southern Brazil. We developed a laboratory breeding experiment with 60 pairs of individualsof...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Hensen, Maristela Carpintero, Lobo, Jorge M., Medina Hernández, Malva Isabel
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión aceptada para publicación
Fecha de publicación:2020
País:España
Institución:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
Repositorio:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
OAI Identifier:oai:digital.csic.es:10261/229343
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/10261/229343
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Dung beetles
Life cycle
Ecophysiology
Ethology
Thermal adaptation
Coleoptera
Scarabaeidae
Canthon rutilans
Temperatures
Scarabaeinae
Breeding experiment
Subspecies
Descripción
Sumario:Two dung beetle subspecies of Canthon rutilans Castelnau (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae, Scarabaeinae), C. rutilans rutilans and C. rutilans cyanescens, inhabit different environmental temperature conditions in southern Brazil. We developed a laboratory breeding experiment with 60 pairs of individualsof the two subspecies at five temperature conditions (from 15 to 35°C) to compare the influence oftemperature on the behaviour of adults and the development of larvae. The behavioural patterns ofthe adults in both subspecies differ according to temperature. The size of food balls was smaller andlighter inC. rutilans cyanescens. Although temperature did not influence the feeding behaviour (mea-sured as the number of food balls made), reproductive behaviour (measured as the number of broodballs made by pair) was significantly lower at 15°C for both subspecies. Besides that, brood balls fromC. rutilans rutilanswere bigger and heavier at lower temperatures. The number of offspring and thetime of emergence depend on temperature too. However, the weight of the offspring and the longev-ity of adults depend on the subspecies and temperature treatment. These results demonstrate that thesubspecies have different thermal adaptations:C. rutilans rutilanshas reproductive behaviouradapted to living under colder and broader conditions thanC. rutilans cyanescens.