Date:

New evidence connects dung beetle evolution to dinosaurs

Researchers have found an evolutionary connection between dinosaurs and dung beetles.

An international team of scientists uncovered the first molecular evidence indicating that dung beetles evolved in association with dinosaurs. The findings place the origin of dung beetles (Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) in the Lower Cretaceous period, with the first major diversification occurring in the middle of the Cretaceous.

- Advertisement -

This timeline places their origins approximately 30 million years earlier than previously thought. The research explores the potential of a co-extinction with dinosaurs 66 million years ago. The study was published today in the open-access journal PLOS ONE.

Lead author Dr. Nicole Gunter of The Cleveland Museum of Natural History generated molecular (DNA) sequence data from 125 scarab beetles at the Australian National Insect Collection, CSIRO, which were aligned with previously published data to create a total dataset representing 450 beetle species. The data were used to create a dated molecular phylogeny of scarab beetles. Analyses compared timing and evolutionary relationships of herbivorous scarab subfamilies that feed directly on living plant tissue to saprophagous scarab subfamilies that feed on dead and decaying matter–including dung.

The results confirmed that the evolution of herbivorous scarab beetles tracked the ecological dominance of flowering plants, or angiosperms. Interestingly, the dung beetles also underwent a similar diversification pattern as the herbivorous scarabs, providing the first evidence of indirect influence of angiosperms on non-herbivorous insects. The study places the evolution of dung beetles at about 115 to 130 million years ago in the Lower Cretaceous.

“Surprisingly, the timing and diversification of dung beetles is correlated with the ecological dominance of angiosperms,” said lead author Dr. Nicole Gunter, invertebrate zoology collections manager at The Cleveland Museum of Natural History. “Through these findings, we hypothesize that the incorporation of flowering plants in the diet of dinosaurs resulted in the first palatable dung source for feeding–providing a new niche for evolution.”

- Advertisement -

“Dinosaurs were the dominant terrestrial animals for 135 million years and definitely shaped ecosystems throughout their existence,” said co-author Dr. Stephen Cameron of Queensland University of Technology in Australia. “This paper is the first to demonstrate that the speciation of a group was tied to utilizing dinosaurs as an ecological resource–their dung.” The scientists note the existence of dinosaur coprolites (fossilized feces) showing evidence of tunneling attributed to dung beetle feeding dated at 70 to 80 million years ago, which is in line with the new hypothesis on dung beetle evolution outlined in this new study.

“This research provides evidence supporting an extinction of dung beetles approximately 60 to 70 million years ago that can be readily associated with the Cretaceous-Paleogene mass extinction of non-avian dinosaurs,” said Gunter. “Our findings suggest that the loss of dinosaurs and their dung impacted dung beetle diversification–fortunately, they survived the extinction event. We hypothesize that modern dung beetles are descended from species that fed either on the dung of dinosaurs and early mammals, or species already adapted to feeding on Cretaceous mammal dung. We hope that this research brings attention to invisible extinctions not captured in the fossil record.”

Although the findings challenge previous research that associates the origin of dung feeding with mammals, this study also indicates dung beetles diversified at their greatest rate in the Paleogene in line with the major diversification of mammals. The team suggests that additional research is needed to disentangle the causes of the most recent diversification and to shed more light on the survival of dung beetles through the Cretaceous-Paleogene mass extinction. This story of dinosaurs, flowering plants, mammals and scarab beetles demonstrates the complex interactions of evolving ecosystems and that it is possible to determine the drivers of diversification, even for insects where the limited fossil record provides little insight into Cretaceous life.

CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

- Advertisement -

Stay Updated: Follow us on iOS, Android, Google News, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Threads, TikTok, LinkedIn, and our newsletter

spot_img
Mark Milligan
Mark Milligan
Mark Milligan is a multi-award-winning journalist and the Managing Editor at HeritageDaily. His background is in archaeology and computer science, having written over 8,000 articles across several online publications. Mark is a member of the Association of British Science Writers (ABSW), the World Federation of Science Journalists, and in 2023 was the recipient of the British Citizen Award for Education, the BCA Medal of Honour, and the UK Prime Minister's Points of Light Award.
spot_img
spot_img

Mobile Application

spot_img

Related Articles

Mammoth bones uncovered during road construction works

The Construction of the S17 Piaski–Hrebenne highway near the Arabunie village in Zamość County has revealed the remains of what is believed to be either a woolly mammoth or a forest elephant.

Hidden Medieval tower unearthed in Lublin reveals forgotten chapter of city’s past

Archaeologists have uncovered the remains of a previously undocumented medieval tower within the grounds of the former Pobernardine monastery complex, near the Church of the Conversion of Saint Paul on Bernardyńska Street.

Sinkhole reveals lost remains of medieval hospital

A sinkhole that formed outside the York Theatre Royal has led to the discovery of what could be one of England’s largest medieval hospitals.

Chalcolithic cultural treasures unearthed in Caucasus

Archaeologists from the Institute of Archaeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences have uncovered 13 Chalcolithic-era sites, each yielding a wealth of cultural artefacts and material evidence.

Study reveals East Asia’s earliest gold-inlaid spear sheath

In 1954, a bronze spear sheath dating from Japan’s Kofun period (AD 300–538) was found beneath a rock on Okinoshima, a sacred island located off the coast of Munakata, Fukuoka.

Cache of military helmets from both World Wars discovered during roadworks

Road construction works in the Polish city of Wroclaw have unearthed an unusual cache of military objects from WWI and WWII.

Ten Roman wonders of Britain

Discover the Roman Empire’s extraordinary legacy left on Britain through this selection of ten Roman wonders.

New archaeological treasures unearthed at Finziade

Archaeologists excavating at Finziade in southern Italy have unearthed an artisan workshop and a domestic sacellum containing archaeological treasures.