Copronecrophagous beetle diversity (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae in the Selva El Ocote Biosphere Reserve, Chiapas, Mexico

Beetles of the subfamily Scarabacinac arc considered important for studies of biological diversity and conservation of ecosystems. They perform a variety of functions and are sensitive to environmental disturbances. Chiapas is one of the regions with the largest number of Scarabaeinae records in Mexico, but there are still extensive areas with little knowledge about this group of insects, including some protected natural areas, such as the Selva El Ocote Biosphere Reserve. Copronecrophagous beetle assemblages, product of five systematic sampling during 2011 and 2012 in three representative habitats of the reserve, were analyzed. The collections were made using pitfall traps using squid, pig dung and cow dung as attractants. 5421 beetles were collected from six tribes, 12 genera and 37 species. The sampling coverage was close to 100 % and the evaluations indicate that the Selva had the closest to the estimated richness while the coffee plantation is the habitat with greater possibility of adding species to the inventory. The values of beta diversity suggest that the faunas of the three habitats are part of a single community of beetles, but the composition of the trophic guilds is different in all of them. The fauna obtained constitutes 31.1 % of the species recorded in Chiapas. This work represents the first study by systematic sampling in the Selva El Ocote Biosphere Reserve.