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Canthon (Canthon) cyanellus LeConte, 1859 es un escarabajo rodador necrófago con amplia distribución en los bosques tropicales del nuevo mundo. Su historia taxonómica es compleja y agrupa a especies que fueron designadas anteriormente y que fueron agrupadas en una sola especie por Halffter en 1961. Las poblaciones de esta especie son morfológicamente muy similares. La gran variación de coloración cuticular a nivel geográfico de esta especie ha sido empleada para definir a diferentes subespecies i.e., Canthon cyanellus cyanellus, C. cyanellus violetae Halffter, 1961 y C. cyanellus sallei Harold, 1853 sensu Halffter, 1961, por lo que a esta especie se le puede designar como el complejo Canthon cyanellus. Para entender los procesos evolutivos que han conducido a la diversificación y actual distribución del complejo “cyanellus” en el Neotrópico, se planteó estudiar su estructura filogeográfica en la Zona de Transición Mexicana (ZTM) empleando dos marcadores moleculares mitocondriales (16S y COI) y uno nuclear (ITS2). Las características de la genitalia del macho en escarabajos de este género han tenido valor taxonómico para separar subespecies o especies próximas; sin embargo, en C. cyanellus no han sido analizadas considerando la variación geográfica. Por esta razón, posteriormente se analizó la variabilidad de la morfología de la genitalia masculina (i.e. edeago: falobase y parameros) a nivel geográfico considerando su distribución en el Neotrópico. Ambos enfoques, el genético y morfológico, se compararon con la taxonomía del grupo. La longitud de los tres loci (i.e. ITS2 + 16S + COI) analizados fue de 2,196 pb con un total de 76 haplotipos. La diversidad genética fue más baja para ITS2, que para los loci mitocondriales. Los análisis de SAMOVA, ANOVAs y las redes de haplotipos indicaron alta estructura genética asociada con la distribución geográfica de las poblaciones. El cronograma inferido con los tres marcadores moleculares combinados indicó que los eventos de cla

We analysed the genetic divergence and morphology of the aedeagus (i.e. phallobase and parameres) in Canthon cyanellus at different geographical levels. The results from both approaches were compared with the current taxonomic assignment of the C. cyanellus complex, which includes three subspecies. We found a high variation in all the morphological characters of the aedeagus in the populations analysed; the morphometric variation was not geographically structured, either by population or by region. The genealogical analysis indicates a significant genetic structure that does not match either the morphological variation in the male genitalia or the previous subspecific taxonomic classification. Our results suggest that the morphological variation of the aedeagus is seemingly not an isolating reproductive barrier and that the intra- and interpopulation morphological variability of the aedeagus in the C. cyanellus complex does not permit the division into several species. We suggest that other evolutionary forces, such as genetic drift and sexual selection, have influenced the evolution of the male genitalia and the incipient differentiation of this species complex.

Canthon cyanellus is a roller dung beetle with a wide distribution range in the tropical forests of the New World. In Mexico, it inhabits the Pacific and the Gulf coasts, the Yucatan Peninsula and the south mainly in the State of Chiapas. This species shows a wide geographical variation in cuticle color, which has been used as defining trait for subspecies. In this study we analyzed the phylogeographic and demographic history of the Mexican populations of C. cyanellus using DNA sequences of the nuclear ITS2, and the mitochondrial COI and 16S genes. We found that not all the current valid subspecies are supported by the molecular analysis. The populations are genetically and geographically structured in five lineages. The diversification events that gave origin to the main lineages within this species complex occurred during the Pleistocine in a time range of 1.63–0.91 Myr. The demographic history of these lineages suggests post-glacial expansions toward the middle and the end of the Pleistocene. The combined data of mitochondrial and nuclear DNA suggest that the phylogeographic structure and demographic history of the C. cyanellus populations are the result of: the geological and volcanic activity that occurred from the end of the Pliocene to the Pleistocene; and the contraction and expansion of tropical forests due to the glacial and inter-glacial cycles during the Pleistocene. Landscape changes derived from historical events have affected the demographic history of the populations of this species. The results presented here point to the need to review the taxonomic status and delimitation of the lineages encompassed in the Canthon cyanellus complex.

Dung roller beetles of the genus Canthon (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae) emit an odorous secretion from a pair of pygidial glands. To investigate the chemical composition of these secretions, we used stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE), coupled with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) for analysis of extracts of pygidial gland secretions secreted by the dung roller beetles Canthon femoralis femoralis and Canthon cyanellus cyanellus. Chemical analyses of volatiles collected from pygidial gland secretions comprise a great diversity of the functional groups. Chemical profile comparisons showed high intra- and interspecific variability. The pygidial gland secretion of Canthon f. femoralis was dominated by sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, whereas the profile of Canthon c. cyanellus was dominated by carboxylic acids. The different pygidial secretions have a high diversity of chemical compounds suggesting a multifunctional nature involving some key functions in the biology. We discuss the biological potential of these compounds found in the pygidial glands of each species with respect to their ecological and behavioral relevance.

En tres bosques semideciduos y en tres tipos de vegetación ruderal del Área Protegida de Recursos Manejados Mil Cumbres (Sierra del Rosario, Pinar del Río, Cuba), se analizan las comunidades de coleópteros y se las compara respecto a la composición, riqueza, abundancia, diversidad, equitatividad, ordenación y complementariedad. La composición de coleópteros conocida hasta el momento es de 166 especies, incluidas en 75 géneros y 34 familias. La vegetación ruderal presentaó mayor riqueza y abundancia que los bosques semideciduos. El bosque y la vegetación ruderal de Pan de Guajaibón exhibieron los valores más altos de riqueza, abundancia y número de especies únicas. Ambas formaciones vegetales de Sierra Chiquita presentaron la mayor diversidad y equitatividad. Las comunidades de coleópteros más afines estaban entre los bosques y entre la vegetaciones ruderales en Forneguera y Pan de Guajaibón. Cada bosque y tipo de vegetación ruderal presentaba especies exclusivas., In three semideciduous forests and in three types of ruderal vegetation within the Mil Cumbres Protected Area of Managed Resources (Sierra del Rosario, Pinar del Río, Cuba), the beetle communities were analyzed and compared for composition, richness, abundance, diversity, equitability, ordination and complementarity. A total of 166 species of 75 genera and 34 families were recorded. Ruderal vegetation showed higher values of richness and abundance than the semideciduous forests. The forest and ruderal vegetation of Pan de Guajaibón showed the highest values of species richness, abundance and number of unique species. Both plant communities of Sierra Chiquita presented the highest diversity and equitability values. The most similar beetle communities were between forests and between ruderal vegetation types at Forneguera and Pan de Guajaibón. Each forest and ruderal vegetation type had exclusive species.