Evolutionary Biology and Conservation of Dung Beetles

The current work synthesises and updates most of the major elements covered in those studies, but introduces several novel sections in a phylogenetic approach to the natural history of dung beetles. The aspects covered, in five sections, are the following: (A) Evolution and ecological success of dung beetles; (B) Physiological and behavioural ecology of dung beetles; (C) Phylogeny of the Scarabaeinae; (D) Historical biogeography of the Scarabaeinae and its physical and biotic drivers; (E) Conservation of dung beetles. The content of the book is balanced in such a way that the information contained in it should be of interest to general entomologists, research specialists on dung beetle natural history, insects systematists, students of entomology, agricultural scientists and insect conservationists. The authors of the book were based in the Scarab Research Group in the Department of Zoology and Entomology at the University of Pretoria, South Africa during the planning and first stages of writing of the book. Ute Kryger has since returned to her native Germany after spending six years as a post-doctoral research fellow in the research group. Adrian Davis and Clarke Scholtz are still there; AD as a senior research fellow and CS as Professor of Entomology.