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Year: 2019, Issue: December
Survey of Dung beetle diversity in Jabalpur (M.P.).
Author:
Haninder Maini, Sanjay Kumar and Rahul Jain
Keyword:
Dung beetles, Diversity, Species composition
A survey of dung beetle diversity was conducted in the area of Jabalpur. The surveys were conducted during the active season from (April-October) of dung beetles at total eleven sites, viz., Gour river, Dumna nature reserve, Mandla road, TFRI forest, Bargi, Narmada river, Bhedaghat, RDVV side, Adhartal, Sihora road and Ranjhi. These sites comprise all types of habitats, i.e. forest areas, river banks, grasslands, road sides and domestic areas. Dung beetles were collected by bait traps, baited with different kinds of dung especially with cattle dung. A total of 1648 dung beetles were collected under 25 species, 9 genera and 3 subfamilies by performing each site with single to three visits. Some of the dominant species of dung beetle were Onthophagous mopsus, O. catta, O. bonasus, Oniticellus spinipes and Aphodius lividus. The surveys were conducted only to check the dung beetle fauna present in the regions of Jabalpur and surrounding areas. Some beetles were attracted to only a specific type of bait Neelgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus) dung. This specificity of preference is also an important aspect for further research. The fauna recorded was found on declining rate during the survey in comparison to earlier records of dung beetle fauna from the area.
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