Where should I perch? The effects of body size, height, and leaf surface on the vertical perching position of dung beetles (Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) in an Amazonian area

Abstract

Among dung beetles, ‘sit and wait’ comprise a common strategy, in which individuals perch on leaves. The goal of this study was to assess the spatial dynamics of dung beetle perching in a region of the Amazon. We analysed the intra- and interspecific relationships between individual body size, leaf area, leaf shape, and the height at which beetles perched. When analysing intraspecifically, the larger individuals of Canthidium bicolor perched higher than the small ones. When considering the three most abundant species, the smallest species (C. bicolor) perches lower, the intermediate species (Canthidium deyrollei) perches higher, and the largest species (Canthon triangularis) perches at an intermediate height. The leaf area also explained the vertical distribution, both when considering all individuals and intraspecific for C. bicolor, where there is a positive relationship between leaf area and perch height. Our results suggest that intra- and interspecific perching dynamics also depend on species life history, which could be further analysed under functional group approaches.