Scarabs in the dark: occurrence of Scarabaeoidea beetles (Insecta: Coleoptera) in Brazilian caves

Abstract

Hybosoridae, Melolonthidae, Passalidae, Scarabaeidae and Trogidae). Scarabaeidae was the most diverse of them, representing more than 50% of the total of species recorded. We found Scarabeoidea beetles in 51 of the ~ 1600 caves examined, distributed in nine Brazilian states: Alagoas, Bahia, Distrito Federal, Espírito Santo, Goiás, Minas Gerais, Pará, Piauí, and Tocantins. Our results provide evidence that Scarabaeoidea beetles are not frequent in Brazilian caves, and their records in this kind of environment are mostly accidental. Exceptions include Trogidae and Aphodiinae species, which may be associated with bat guano. Our study presents the first list of Scarabaeoidea species sampled in Brazilian caves.