Possibilities of using Tenebrionidae species (Insecta: Coleoptera) as biological indicators for habitat description

Year 2025, Volume: 18 Issue: 2, 173 - 182, 15.08.2025

Gökhan Aydın , Cengiz Kazak

https://doi.org/10.46309/biodicon.2025.1553694

Abstract

Eighteen species of darkling beetle were sampled by pitfall traps in (i) sand dune, (ii) salt marsh, (iii) salt meadow, (iv) forest with Pinus spp., (v) afforestation with Eucalyptus spp., and (vi) beach habitats in the Çukurova Delta (Adana-Türkiye). The study was carried out to find an answer whether darkling beetles might be used as indicator for habitat description or not. For this reason, abundance of darkling beetles in mentioned habitats above were determined. As a result of indicator species analysis, it has been found out that Zophosis dilatata, Erodius oblongus oblongus, and Ammobius cyprius most abundant in Sand dune, Phtora reitteri reitteri most abundant in salt marsh, Gonocephalum rusticum, and Centorus turcicus most abundant in salt meadow, Pimelia bajula solieri and Zophosis punctata punctata most abundant in afforestation (Eucalyptus spp.) in the investigated area. The highest indicator value (%) was considered for C. turcicus and P. b. solieri with 94.0 and 84.7, respectively. Although sampled species belonging to Tenebrionidae family, most of the species were also found to be capable of exist in different type of habitats in the delta.

Keywords

Insecta , Coleoptera , Turkiye , Mediterranean delta , Tenebrionidae , distribution , abundance

Supporting Institution

Institute of Natural and Applied Science of Çukurova University

Project Number

TOVAG, 107 O 638

Thanks

Parts of the fieldwork were supported by the EU LIFE Project “Çukurova Biosphere Reserve”, Project LIFETCY 99/TR/087, Institute of Natural and Applied Science of Çukurova University as PhD thesis and The Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkiye (TUBITAK) - Agriculture, Forestry, and Veterinary Research Grant Group (TOVAG, 107 O 638).

Tenebrionidae türlerinin (Inseta: Coleoptera) habitat tanımlamasında biyolojik gösterge olarak kullanılma olanakları

Abstract

Çukurova Deltası (Adana, Türkiye)'nda (i) tuzlu bataklık, (ii) tuzlu çayırlık, (iii) kumul alan, (iv) Okaliptüs ile ağaçlandırılmış alan, (v) çam (Pinus sp.) ormanı ve (vi) kıyı habitatlarında çukur tuzaklar ile toplam 18 Tenebrionid türü örneklenmiştir. Çalışma, Tenebrionidae türlerinin habitat tanımlamasında biyolojik gösterge olarak kullanılıp kullanılamayacağı sorusuna cevap bulmak için yürütülmüştür. Bu nedenle yukarıda belirtilen habitatlarda Tenebrionidae familyasına bağlı türlerin bollukları belirlendi. Biyolojik gösterge analizi sonuçlarına göre; Zophosis dilatata, Erodius oblongus oblongus ve Ammobius cyprius’un kumul habitatlara, Phtora reitteri reitteri’nin tuzlu bataklık habitatlara, Gonocephalum rusticum ve Centorus turcicus’un tuzlu çayırlık habitatlara, Pimelia bajula solieri ve Zophosis punctata punctata'nın ise okaliptüs ile ağaçlandırılmış habitatlara indikatör oldukları belirlenmiştir. Biyolojik gösterge değerleri (%) C. turcicus ve P. b. solieri tenebrionid türlerinde sırasıyla 94.0 ve 84.7 olarak bulunmuştur. Örneklenen türler Tenebrionidae familyasına ait olmasına rağmen, türlerin büyük çoğunluğunun deltada farklı habitat tiplerinde de yaşayabildiği tespit edilmiştir

Keywords

Insecta , Coleoptera , Türkiye , Akdeniz deltası , Tebenrionidae , dağılım , bolluk

Project Number

TOVAG, 107 O 638

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