Observações de simonvannoort

The Burrowing Ground beetle, Scarites rugosus Wiedemann, 1821 (Carabidae) is a south-western Cape endemic species restricted to coastal regions. This specimen was photographed in Grootbos nature reserve near Gansbaai. The fore legs are adapted for digging as the species spends much of the time underground. Nocturnal predator feeding on a variety of other invertebrates, particularly immature stages found within the soil.
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The Addo flightless dung beetle, Circellium bacchus, in Grootbos Private Nature Reserve. This scarab beetle, the largest ball-rolling dung beetle in South Africa, was once more widespread, but with the demise of the large herbivore populations due to anthropogenic extermination over the last couple of centuries, supplies of dung dried up, contracting the distribution of this scarab to small residual pockets. The largest and best known is in Addo Elephant National Park, but fragmented populations exist all along the southern Cape coast reaching as far west as Kogelberg Nature Reserve. Recent molecular analyses showed that the western and eastern populations are genetically distinct, possibly at species level. Although adults prefer feeding on elephant dung and using buffalo dung for construction of brood balls, the species clearly can persist in areas where dung availability is restricted to that of smaller herbivores, including baboons, small antelope and ostrich. Given the species flightless nature, and hence limited dispersal capabilities, this beetle is vulnerable to the impact of climate change and habitat transformation or destruction, and will probably require conservation management intervention to ensure its continued survival.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CIilky5JR41/

The Addo flightless dung beetle, Circellium bacchus, in Grootbos Private Nature Reserve. This scarab beetle, the largest ball-rolling dung beetle in South Africa, was once more widespread, but with the demise of the large herbivore populations due to anthropogenic extermination over the last couple of centuries, supplies of dung dried up, contracting the distribution of this scarab to small residual pockets. The largest and best known is in Addo Elephant National Park, but fragmented populations exist all along the southern Cape coast reaching as far west as Kogelberg Nature Reserve. Recent molecular analyses showed that the western and eastern populations are genetically distinct, possibly at species level. Although adults prefer feeding on elephant dung and using buffalo dung for construction of brood balls, the species clearly can persist in areas where dung availability is restricted to that of smaller herbivores, including baboons, small antelope and ostrich. Given the species flightless nature, and hence limited dispersal capabilities, this beetle is vulnerable to the impact of climate change and habitat transformation or destruction, and will probably require conservation management intervention to ensure its continued survival.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CIilky5JR41/