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Abstract
The little knowledge of the composition of the beetle Scarabaeinae in pluvial forest of the Pacific Coast has motivated this preliminary research of the dung beetles in Chancos, Calima, Valle, Colombia. The main objective is to explore the structure and other ecological aspects of this family in this specific pluvial forests characterized by extremely precipitation. The procedure was as follows: dung and carrion bait traps were installed in low paths of the forest, those were analyzed and collected daily, as an exploratory activity were installed other four carrion bait traps of 1.5 and 2.5 meters over the soil. A sample during 5 days permitted collect 729 specimens of Scarabaeinae belonging to 13 classes and 22 species. The diversity index of Shannon obtained was 2.3, a high figure compared with Colombian Pacific forest and other similar studies. Likewise the evennesss index (0.74) is intermediate between the obtained in such studies. The three species abundant in the sample were Deltochilum aff. pseudoparile Paul (187 specimens), Dichotomitus Sp (116 specimens), and Phanaeus pyrois Bates (108 specimens), conforming a 50.1% of the captured specimens. The results obtained were compared and discussed with other similar studies in the neo-tropical forest and other local studies. From the carrion bait traps installed at 1.5 and 2.5 meters, a total of 37 specimens of Deltochilum, and Coprophanaeus were collected during four days. This is explained by the intense competence of the substrate and other environmental circumstances (topography, tree covering, etc), that conciliate that the search is, carry out over the soil level. As were expected, the Scarabaeinae structure under these conditions is really complex, the competence “intra” and inter specific is intense, low quantities of dung or carrion subdue a notable attractive effect, nevertheless the significant collect of sizeable species as much tunnelers and roller. lt is important to mention how diversity in the group is encouraged by groups of short-sized, in this case Canthidium. A sample in more detail and under different climate conditions would extend significantly the records and data obtained.
