Changes in a Texas USA dung beetle community between 1975 and 1985 Coleoptera Scarabaeidae Scarabaeinae

A quantitative survey of dung beetles in May 1985 at Welder Wildlife Refuge, Sinton, Texas, resulted in 15 species with the two most common species, the introduced African Onthophagus gazella (Fab.) and the native O. alluvius H. & C., comprising 49% of the total samples. Neither of these was recorded during a similar survey 10 years previously. Three uncommon species recorded in the earlier survey were not taken in 1985. The appearance at Welder of O. gazella since 1975 illustrates a successful introduction, whereas the appearance of O. alluvius seems to be the effect of a well-documented increase in annual rainfall.