Global distribution patterns provide evidence of niche-shift by the introduced African dung beetle Digitonthophagus gazella (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)

NORIEGA, JORGE; FLOATE, KEVIN D.; GÉNIER, FRANÇOIS ; REID, CHRIS; KOHLMANN, BERT; HORGAN, FINBARR G.; DAVIS, ADRIAN; FORGIE, SHAUN; AGUILAR, CARLOS; IBARRA POLESEL, MARIO G; VAZ-DE-MELLO, FERNANDO; ZIANI, STEFANO; LOBO, JORGE M.

ENTOMOLOGIA EXPERIMENTALIS ET APPLICATA

WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC

Lugar: Londres; Año: 2020 vol. 168 p. 766 - 782

0013-8703

The introduction of cattle into different regions of the world has led to dung beetle relocation programs to reduce pasture fouling and to control dung-breeding flies. One of these beetles, Digitonthophagus gazella (Fabricius, 1787) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), is native to southeast Africa and has been introduced into the Americas, Australia, and New Zealand. Distribution records for this species have been used by several authors to develop climate models of potential future establishment. Recent studies, however, identify D. gazella as a complex comprised of seven species. Taking into account this revision, we developed climate models to identify factors contributing to the ability of this species to establish in many different regions. We compared the climatic conditions of D. gazella in its origin with climatic conditions where the species has or has not established. In Africa, Central, and South America, our results indicate that D. gazella is absent in regions where it could potentially establish. We speculate that its African distribution is limited due to competitive exclusion. The introduction of D. gazella in Central and South America is relatively recent, such that the full extent of its distribution may yet to be realized. In Australia and North America, D. gazella is present in regions not predicted by the native climatic conditions. This discrepancy may reflect a lack of competitive exclusion, phenotypic plasticity, and (or) genetic adaptation. Our analyses suggest that the species has the ability to adapt to new conditions and a wide range of climatic regions that are extremely different from those in the native region.