Contributions to the knowledge of the dung beetles (Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) of southwestern Brazilian Amazon: list of species and conservation implications.

Dung beetles perform essential ecological functions (e.g. nutrient cycling, secondary seed dispersal and parasite control) and are excellent indicators of ecosystem quality. However, in the Amazon region, the biodiversity of these insects is still poorly known. Here, we investigated the dung beetle biodiversity of the southwestern Brazilian Amazon and provide information on the distribution and natural history. We sampled dung beetles using pitfall traps baited with human feces in five forest fragments in municipality of Pimenta Bueno – Rondônia, Western Brazil. In all, 8502 individuals from 58 species of dung beetles were captured. In addition, four species were reported for the first time in the state of Rondônia: Canthon brunneus (Schmidt, 1922), Dendropaemon lydiae, Eurysternus howdeni and Eurysternus ventricosus Gill, 1990. Thirty species were classified as forest specialist, and seven as habitat generalists, suggesting an effect of the expansion of anthropic areas (e.g. introduced pastures) on the forest landscape. Thus, we highlight the need for monitoring the proportion between forest species and open-area species in the study region, in order to investigate a possible biotic homogenization process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]