Riqueza e distribuição de escaravelhos (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea) no Rio Grande do Norte

Abstract

Coleoptera, the insect group of the beetles, is the order with the greatest species richness among animals. They are cosmopolitan and have a wide variety of forms and niches. Scarabaeoidea is one of the most studied superfamilies of the order. They play roles in ecosystems as decomposers, bioindicators, pollinators, seed dispersers, and root consumers that can be characterized as agricultural pests. They are important for understanding environmental, economic, and other ecosystem service impacts. However, there is little literature with formal records on the biodiversity and territorial distribution of beetles in Rio Grande do Norte. The present study investigated which species were collected in the state and their distribution records. The data was processed to find which species occur in the state. To do so, records in the literature, specimens deposited in the Coleção Entomológica Adalberto Antônio Varela-Freire (CEAAVF), and databases such as CTFB, SIBBr, GBIF, and Web of Science were used. From the data gathered, it was possible to consolidate the accumulated knowledge about the state's biodiversity, with 36 valid species, 6 new species records, and 4 new genus records. With the distribution data, collections in 18 municipalities were confirmed, allowing visualization of the state's sampling gaps.