Seasonal abundance and sexual variation in morphometric traits of Oxelytrum discicolle (Brulle, 1840) (Coleoptera: Silphidae) in a Brazilian Atlantic Forest

Resumen

A total of 293 specimens of Oxelytrum discicolle were sampled weekly over a period of two years using a black light trap. The study took place in an Atlantic Forest reserve located near Viçosa city, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. The period of peak abundance of O. discicolle occurred during the wet season between the months of October and March. Statistical analysis showed that the abundance of individuals was significantly and positively correlated with temperature, but not with rainfall or relative humidity. Of 28 morphological measurements taken on each collected specimen, seven were found to be sexually dimorphic; however, neither morphology nor the degree of sexual dimorphism varied significantly among seasons.