Introduction, Establishment, and Invasion of Digitonthophagus gazella (Fabricius, 1787) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae) in the Savannas of Venezuela and Colombia

Abstract

The invasion process involves overcoming certain barriers with negative effects on the biodiversity and ecosystem function. This is the case of the African dung beetle Digitonthophagus gazella, which was introduced in the United States and other countries in Central and South America to help in dung removal activity. The distribution of D. gazella has been documented in the Americas, but in Venezuela there is little information. Trying to understand the process of invasion of the Colombian-Venezuelan savannas and measure their potential impact, the information stored in collections and literature was collected. Five new state records were reported for Venezuela, as well as four scenarios of the process of introduction and establishment of this species in the region. Although the amount of records has increased, the number of individuals sampled is still incipient. The possible areas of invasion and the potential negative effects that the presence of this species exerts in these regions are also discussed. In addition, potential areas of invasion and negative effects of this species are discussed. Results emphasize the importance of generating models of the invasive process in order to design programs that monitor the effects incurred by the presence of D. gazella on native species and propose control and mitigation mechanisms.