Studies On The Histerid Beethes (histeridae - Coleoptera) Feeding On Dung In Egypt:

Magdy Mohamed Salem

The present study dealt wi th the ecology, biologyand taxono~ of the dung beetles of family Histeridaein Egypt oovered the following points:1- Survey and geographical distribution of the dunginhabitant species of family Histeridae:The survey of dung inhabitant species of histeridbeetles was carried out allover the Egyptian territoriesincluding the different ecological regions: NileDelta, Nile Valley, Western and Eastern deserts andNorthern coast of the qdi terrane an sea.Excursions over such a wide area were continuedabout three years. Beetles were collected from freshand dry dung of some animals in addition to humanfeoes.The survey revealed the existence of nine species belongingto two genera of the family Jllisteridae. Thesespec1ea Warer Hiater bimaculatua Linn6., Hister scutellarisE1-ichson. SapriDl1s:molse. llarseu.l, SerpriDl1s blancheilIar.eu1, SapriJm. sem1.punctatu. Fabricius, SapriDl1ssemiatriatua Soriba, Saprinus 0&lc1te. Ill1.ger, sapr1.Jmspol1tua Brehmand SapriDl1apu1cherr1.Jmsweber.- -- - --- ---------------~----- - --------- 191 -These beetles were collected from 11 types ofanimal dung namely, buffalo, cow, sheep, camel, donkey,poultry, chioken, duck, mixed dung and humanfeces.The local distribution of each species of hlsteridbeetles in Egypt, has been illustrated in detail onseparate maps, showing their geographical distributionin 18 Governorates in our country.11- Abundanoeof histerid beetles in different types ofanimal dung.:Fifteen types of animal dung were examined for thepresence of histerid beetles. The maximumDUmberofspecies was collected from cow dung being 9 species followedby bUffalo dung 8 species, hWlBnfeces being 4 species,donkey dung 3 species. pOUltry, horse and mixed dung, 2species each and sheep, camel, chicken and duck dung, onespeoies each. whereas pigeon, rabbit, rat and pig dungwere found to be free from histerid beetles.The most commonspecies occurred in animal dungwas HlIIter scutelaris Er., which occurred in 8 types ofpima1 dung, followed by g. bimaculatus L. and Saprinusblanchei liars., which exlsted in 5 types of dung. SapriDWJmolS” liars.,· occurred in 4 types of animal dung, while1. calcit •• and ~. puloherrinus •• occurred in 3 types.- 192 -§.. pol1tus I., §.. semistrlatus se , and S. semipunctatusF~ were found to be existed in 2 types of animal dung.111- Fluctuation of popUlation density of hiaterid beetlesoccurring in buffalo dune::at two different 10ca11tie s:Fluctuation of population density of some hiateridspecies occurring in buffalo dung was studied in twodifferent lOCalities in Egypt, AbuRawash(Giza Governorate)and Iemailia (1smail1a Governorate) throughout the year1980CollectioZ1llof beetles were undertaken periodicallyin the two areas, twice monthly during the period of investigation.)(asses of buffalo dung were chosen randomly,measured and all the histerid beetles present were collected,identified am reoorded. ~e seasoral abumance of histeridbeetles was determined am e:zpressed as the numberot beetles per one sqlarelleter of dung per half monthlyoollection.’rhe average ~ time temperature and relativehumidity were recorded during the period of investigationthe renl ts obtained showedthat:a) Ob,ervaUoy at Abu.Rawaq:!!!heIIIOIIt abundant species W&ll !!. bimaou,latu., L••which fiu.ctuate during the lIUmmer IIOnthaand increased-- -- ----- -_._-- -_._-- -- ---- 193 .::during Spring and Autumn. It has three peaks of abundanceduring March, )fay and Ootober.Sapriws species camenext in abundance, theywere found allover the year except late Decemberandthe beginning of January. They have four peaks of abundanceduring February, April, June and September. Themost abundant peaks were on February and September.H-. soutellaris Er. was always found in low numbers and in only few masses of buffalo dung. This speciesreaches its peaks during March, )fay BZId Ootober, showingitself at a lowest population during the Summermonthsand di sappeared in August.’b) Observations at Ismailia:Saprinus species and JI. bimaculatus L. were themost active species in the vioinity of Ismailia, whileJI. scutellaris. Er.was less aotive and less abundant.All histerid speoies were found all the year except themost winter period, Deoemberand January. JI. ,outellarisEr. has four peaks of abundance during the months March,_, September and November,am disappeared in August.Also H-. b1Moulatus L. has four peaks at March, JIa:y,~ 194 -September and October, disappeared also in August. Saprinusspecies were the most fluctuating species all the yearwith relatively high numbers, they have also four peaksof abundance during March, June, August and September.The irldividuals of these species disappeared only duringDecemberand January.IV- The predatorY effects of histerid beetles on thedevelopmental stages of ’!he house fly:Astudy on the predatory effects of histeridbeetles on the dung -breeding fly Muscadomestica L. wasinitiated by raising laboratory colonies of collectedhisterid species as well as by raising a standared colonyof the house fly on artificial diets in the laboratory.Aseries of experiments were conducted under laboratorycomit1ons, (23-27°C, and 50-70 % R.H.) toevaluate the su8ceptibili ty of immaturestages of thehouse fiy (eggs, lJ.!, 2na am 3r! instar larvae) topredation by six species of blaterid beetles, thesespecie. weret Hister b1maculatus L., D.•• cutellaris Br.Sapri!!!’ bl8!lche1 -.rs., 1l. m18e. Kers., S•• em1p!IPctatu.F. aDd§. sem1.triatu! Sc.- 195 -a) Dai~y consumption of eggs and larvae:Eggs and larvae of knownages were offered dailyin groups of 20 preys to individual beetles for 10successive days.The most effective species on the house fly eggswas SapriDllS semipunctatus F., consumedabout 9.96 eggs/beetle/day, follOlred by S. semistriatus Sc., consumedabout 8.38 eggs/beetle/d~, then [. Boutellaris Er.,which consumedabout 7.64 eggs/ beetle/day. While the leasteffective species was .§..mOlses Mars., consumedabout6.5 eggs/beetle/day.SapriDll’ semipunctatus F. was also the most effectivespeoies in preying on the lst-instar larvae • consumedabout9.56 larvae/beetle/day, followed by both S.pem1,triatw? se , ani [. Bcutellaris Br., which they consumedabout7.2 and 7.14 larvae/beetle /day respectively.!he least effective species were,’.§.. malses and .§..blanohei,consumedabout 5.12 and 3.66 larvae/beetle/day respectively.i. b1maculatw?L. cameinbetween and consumedabout 6.16larvae/beetle /d~.Ki.ter soutellan. Er. was the most effective.pecie. in pre7ing on the 2nd-inster larvae, consumed--------- 196 -about 5.8 larvae/beetle/day, followed by §.. semipunctatusF. consumedabout 5.62 larvae/ beetle /day, then g.b1maculatus L., 4.96 and §.. semistriatus se,; 4.9. SaprinusIDOlsesJrars.came after them, 4.62, while S. blanchei Mars.was the least active and efficient in preying on thatstage and consumedabout 2.98 larvae /beetle/day.The mean:rmmbersof 3~ ins tar larvae consumedperbeetle per day were 4.22,4.1, 3.9, 3.48, 2.86 and 2.2for §.. sem1punctatga F., §..Semistriatus Sc., g. seutellarisEr., !I. bimaculatus L. S. IDOnesliars. and §.. blancheiMars. respeetively.b) Predation on the developmental stages of the houseP.:r (from egg. and ins tar larvae to pupae):Whenegg., I!!, 2!!Aand 3U - 1nstar larvae of thehouse fly .80a domestica L. were exposed to a singlepredator of adult histerids for a period of t~ IUttic1entfor the1%’pupal formation, Saprinu. ”m1punctatus F. wasthe most efficient general predator, redueing fly populationabaat 7l~8 1nd1Tidual/ beetle from the eggs to pupae;S8.6 1ndiTidu&1from the first iIl8ter larvae to pllpae,38~95 individual froll 2n4-1II8tar larvae to pupae, and22.8 ind1Tidual /beetle from 3rd-instar larvae to pupae.-------- ------ 197 -g. bimaculatus L. also appeared to be an efficientpredator, espeoially on”the house fly eg’;s, predationaocounted 59.65 individual from eggs to pupae, and accounted42.55 individual from ls-t-instar larvae to pupae. Predation on the 2na and 3m instar larvae to pupae accounted27.6 and 17.2 individuals respectively.Predation of ~. semistriatus on the developingstages of the hause fly from eggs, Ill, 2~ and 3..sinstarlarvae to pupae accounted 53.1, 38.35, 25.5 and12.65 individual /beetle respectively.Rister scut.llaris Er. on the other hand was mosteffective in preying on the developing stages from eggsand lst-instarlarvae to pupae. The meanDlllJibersofpopulation reduction were 50.35 and 50.4 individual/beetle respectively. The population reduction was 33.5and 19.4 individual when2-nd and 3-rd-instar larvae wereexposed to a single predator of g. soutellaris Er.The meanreduced nwnberof developing flies fromeggs to pupae was 42.95 individual wheneggs were exposedto the predator ~. lI018es, wh1leit was 34.45 from lditl8tarlarvae to pupae and it was 17.6 and 13.25 individualfrom 2!!4and 3m-instar larvae to pupae respeotively.- 198-l’n4&tion or ~. l!l.anchei ~. on the developingstages ~r03 eggs. lat. ~. am Jrd instars to pupaeaccounted 29.4. 27. 20.8 am 13.65 individual/beeUerespectively.v- !he life history of two Rister species:Life history studies of the two species of familyRisteridae. Rister 8cutellaris Erichson and Risterbimaculatus Linne were initiated by the collections ofadults frombovine manureDROPpings in nature.,Agroup of adult beetles of the samespecies wereconfined together in glass jars partially filled withsand. periodically supplied with house fly eggs as foodsource for the beetles.Observation were undertaken to determine oviposition.As eggs were detected they were removedand isola tedsingly either in plastic containers or in petri-dishespartially filled with sand and covered with III1selintoprovide ventillation.!he study was carried out 1n the laboratory atroomtemperature of about 25 -+ 2°C.------- -- -----------200are about 2.36 mm.10%16 am about 0.91 lWme wide. Theincubation period waa abent 2.6 da,ys under laboratorycondi tioDB 23-27 °C•• 50-70 % R.H.). LarYa1.developmentrequired rroa 12 to 26 dqs wi til an average of 19.4 days.At! the larv •• at:ained the:i.r max1D1’m length, theyentered the prepupal stage in a COllS true ted chamber, 5 emdeep. of manuream sand particles.The duration of the pupal stage was about 9.8 da,ys.The total time of the life cycle from egg to adult wascompleted in 22-43 days, the average time was :n.8 days at25 ± 2°0.VI- Taxono!llT:Diagnosis. key of the dUlIgspecies of histeridbeetles as well as descriptions accompaniedWith adultillustrations of the species are given.file sh~ waa baasedon 6 species of major economicimportance which are IIOst aTialab1e in Egypt. These specieswere Rister bimaculatga L•• !I. 8cute1laris Bi- •• 8apr:fml!blanchei ~., §~J!OT!” ”-.r8 •• I.•emipungtatg, p. aDd~. sem1striatus se,