A Study on Scarabaeoidea (Insecta; Coleoptera) Fauna of Yavşan Plateau Nature Park (Kahramanmaraş-Turkey)

Abstract

A Study on Scarabaeoidea (Insecta; Coleoptera) Fauna of Yavşan Plateau Nature Park (Kahramanmaraş-Turkey) It is of great significance to reveal the insect fauna of Kahramanmaraş, which has different ecosystems with different climatic conditions, in terms of biological diversity. This study investigated the Scarabaeoidea fauna of Yavşan Plateau which is located in Kahramanmaraş and which was declared as a nature park in 2009. The present study examined adult Scarabaeoidea samples collected between March and October 2016. The sampleswere obtainedthroughpitfall trap method and land search method.The findings demonstrated that 28 species and 5 subspecies belonging to 25 genera from the Scarabaeoidea superfamily were identified in the study area. 31 of these species and subspecies belong to the Scarabaeidae family, while 2 of them to the Hybosoridae family. Elaphocera dilatata (Erichson, 1840) was recorded for the first time from Turkey. 14 of the species and subspecies were recorded for the first time in Kahramanmaraş. The study covers the distribution of the identified species in our country and throughout the world as well as their chorotype information, locality and history. This study is expected to shed light onto the ever-decreasing biodiversity due to various reasons such as global warming, climate change, habitat degradation etc.