Shaun Forgie

Shaun Forgie on the hunt for millipede-rolling dung beetles (Scarabaeini) in the Rustenberg Nature Reserve, South Africa (December 2001). X

My interest in scarabaeines began in 1992 in New Zealand. Since then my research has lead me from humble origins sifting through dung in New Zealand pastures researching the burial efficacy of Onthophagus granulatus to filming Bolbites pushing big lumps of horse manure in Salta, Argentina. I had the great fortune to carry out ecology, and phylogenetic studies of the charismatic ball-rolling Scarabaeini with the Scarab Research Group, University of Pretoria.  During this time I was lucky to unlock the mystery behind the reproductive biology of the Scarabaeus sub-genus Sceliages, an obligate predator of giant spirostreptid and julid millipedes that are pushed away for burial before being carved up and made into brood-balls to feed young. My research has taken me to the farthest corners of southern African from De Hoop nature reserve and Kozi bay in RSA to the restricted diamond areas of Namibia’s Namib Desert.  Coming full circle, I am now working on the ecology and systematics of New Zealand’s endemic canthonine dung beetles. Until now, nothing was known of its dung beetle fauna, yet many of the species occupy the greatest insect biomass of giant kauri, podocarp and beech forest floors.... and ecologist’s pitfall traps! All of New Zealand’s canthonines are flightless by the way. I am also heading a bid to introduce exotic pastoral dung burying beetles into New Zealand’s farm pastures as part of the National Dung Beetle Project.

Shaun A. Forgie  
Biodiversity & Conservation
Landcare Research - Manaaki Whenua

Private Bag 92 170
Auckland Mail Centre, Auckland
NEW ZEALAND

EMAIL: shaun@dungbeetleinnovations.com
TEL: +64 (0)9 574-4224
CELL: +64 (0)210 657 408
FAX: +64 (0)9 574-4101

URL: www.landcareresearch.co.nz

Forgie SA.  In Preparation. Revision of the endemic Canthonini of New Zealand (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae).

Forgie SA.  Submitted. Competitive interactions between the dung beetles, Onthophagus granulatus Boheman, O. posticus Erichson and Copris incertus Say (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), in the utilisation of cattle dung in New Zealand. Oikos.

Forgie SA. 2009. Reproductive activity of Onthophagus granulatus Boheman (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae) in New Zealand: Implications for its effectiveness in the control of pastoral dung. New Zealand Entomologist 32: 76-84.

Forgie SA, Kryger U, Bloomer P, Scholtz CH. 2006. Phylogenetic patterns in multiple data sets used for inferring evolutionary relationships among the Scarabaeini (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 40: 662–678.

Forgie SA, Philips TK, Scholtz CH. 2005. Evolution of the Scarabaeini (Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae). Systematic Entomology 30: 60–96.

Forgie SA, Grebennikov VV, Scholtz CH. 2002. Revision of Sceliages Westwood, a millipede-eating genus of southern African dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). Invertebrate Systematics 16: 931–955.