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Adrian Louis Victor Davis

University of Pretoria Research Fellow

Main topics of CV:

Contact information:

Scarab Research Group, Department of Zoology and Entomology, Faculty of Natural and
Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, Republic of South Africa.

Tel: (++27 12) 420 2539 Fax (++27 12) 362 5242. E-mail: adavis@zoology.up.ac.za.

Date and place of birth:

January 9th 1947, Southampton, U.K.
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Specialization with scarab beetles:

Taxonomic, biogeographical, community ecological and eco-physiological research on dung beetles (Scarabaeinae, Aphodiinae, Staphylinidae, Histeridae, Hydrophilidae) since 1971. Firstly with the Australian CSIRO Dung Beetle Research Unit in Pretoria, South Africa (1971- until its closure in1986), subsequently at the University of Cape Town Zoology Department (1987-1996), and the University of Pretoria Scarab Research Group (1996-present).
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Scientific degrees:

(in this format: year, degree, University, title of the thesis, name of supervisor):

1970 – B.Sc. (hons) – University of Exeter, U.K.

1978 – M.Sc. – Rhodes University, South Africa – The endocoprid dung beetles of southern Africa. – supervised by Prof. V.C. Moran.

1990 – Ph.D. – University of Cape Town, South Africa - Climatic change, habitat modification and relative age of dung beetle taxa (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae, Hydrophilidae, Histeridae, Staphylinidae) in the south-western Cape. – supervised by Prof. V.C. Moran and Prof. J.H. Hoffmann.
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Publications:

  • 1986 DAVIS, A.L.V. Three new species of Afrotropical dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) in the genera, Kheper Janssens, Gymnopleurus Illiger and Onitis Fabricius, with notes on related species. Journal of the Entomological Society of Southern Africa 49: 373-387.

  • 1987 DAVIS, A.L.V. Geographical distribution of dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) and their seasonal activity in south-western Cape Province. Journal of the Entomological Society of Southern Africa 50: 275-285.

  • 1988 DAVIS, A.L.V., DOUBE, B.M. & MACLENNAN, P.D. Habitat associations and seasonal abundance of dung beetles (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae, Hydrophilidae, Histeridae) in the Hluhluwe region of South Africa. Bulletin of Entomological Research 78: 425-434.

  • 1989 DAVIS, A.L.V. Nesting of Afrotropical Oniticellus (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) and its evolutionary trend from soil to dung. Ecological Entomology 14: 11-21.

  • 1989 DAVIS, A.L.V. Residence and breeding of Oniticellus (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) within cattle pads: inhibition by dung-burying beetles. Journal of the Entomological Society of Southern Africa 52: 229-236.

  • 1993 DAVIS, A.L.V. Alpha diversity patterns of dung beetle assemblages (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae, Hydrophilidae, Histeridae, Staphylinidae) in the winter rainfall region of South Africa. African Entomology 1: 67-80.

  • 1993 DAVIS, A.L.V. & DEWHURST, C.F. Climatic and biogeographical associations of Kenyan and north Tanzanian dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). African Journal of Ecology 31: 290-306.

  • 1993 DAVIS, A.L.V. Biogeographical groups in a southern African, winter rainfall, dung beetle assemblage (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) - consequences of climatic history and habitat fragmentation. African Journal of Ecology 31: 306-327.

  • 1993 DAVIS, A.L.V. Annual age structure patterns in Afrotropical dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) under winter rainfall climate. Journal of African Zoology 107: 397-411.

  • 1994 DAVIS, A.L.V. Associations of Afrotropical Coleoptera (Scarabaeidae, Aphodiidae, Staphylinidae, Hydrophilidae, Histeridae) with dung and decaying matter: implications for selection of fly-control agents for Australia. Journal of Natural History 28: 383-399.

  • 1994 DAVIS, A.L.V. Compositional differences between dung beetle assemblages (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) in winter and summer rainfall climates. African Entomology 2: 45-51.

  • 1994 DAVIS, A.L.V. Habitat fragmentation in southern Africa and distributional response patterns of five specialist or generalist dung beetle families (Coleoptera). African Journal of Ecology 32: 192-207.

  • 1994 DAVIS, A.L.V. Community organization in a South African, winter rainfall, dung beetle assemblage (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). Acta Oecologica 15: 727-738.

  • 1995 DAVIS, A.L.V. Daily weather variation and temporal dynamics in an Afrotropical dung beetle community (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). Acta Oecologica 16: 641-656.

  • 1996 DAVIS, A.L.V. Habitat associations in a South African, summer rainfall, dung beetle community (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae, Aphodiidae, Staphylinidae, Histeridae, Hydrophilidae). Pedobiologia 40: 260-280.

  • 1996 DAVIS, A.L.V. Seasonal dung beetle activity and dung dispersal in selected South African habitats: implications for pasture improvement in Australia. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 58: 157-169.

  • 1996 DAVIS, A.L.V. Diel and seasonal community dynamics in an assemblage of coprophagous, Afrotropical, dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae s. str., Aphodiidae, Staphylinidae: Oxytelinae). Journal of African Zoology 110: 291-308.

  • 1996 DAVIS, A.L.V. Community organization in dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae): differences in body size and functional group structure between habitats. African Journal of Ecology 34: 258-275.

  • 1997 DAVIS, A.L.V. Climatic and biogeographical associations of southern African dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae s. str.). African Journal of Ecology 35: 10-38.

  • 1999 DAVIS, A.L.V., SCHOLTZ, C.H. & HARRISON, J. du G. New and threatened Afrotropical, dung beetle taxa in the Gondwanaland tribe Canthonini (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). African Entomology 7: 77-84.

  • 1999 LOBO, J.M. & DAVIS, A.L.V. An intercontinental comparison of dung beetle diversity between two mediterranean-climatic regions: local versus regional and historical influences. Diversity and Distributions 5: 91-103.

  • 1999 DAVIS, A.L.V., CHOWN, S.L. & SCHOLTZ, C.H. Discontinuous gas-exchange cycles in Scarabaeus dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae): temperature dependence and mass scaling. Physiological and Biochemical Zoology 72: 555-565.

  • 1999 DAVIS, A.L.V., SCHOLTZ, C.H. & CHOWN, S.L. Species turnover, community boundaries, and biogeographical composition of dung beetle assemblages across an altitudinal gradient in South Africa. Journal of Biogeography 26: 1039-1055.

  • 2000 DAVIS, A.L.V., CHOWN, S.L., McGEOCH, M.A. & SCHOLTZ, C.H. A comparative analysis of metabolic rate in six Scarabaeus species (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) from southern Africa: further caveats when inferring adaptations. Journal of Insect Physiology 46: 553-562.

  • 2000 KOCH, S.O., CHOWN, S.L., DAVIS, A.L.V., ENDRODY-YOUNGA, S. & VAN JAARSVELD, A.S. Conservation strategies for poorly surveyed taxa: a dung beetle (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae) case study from southern Africa. Journal of Insect Conservation 4: 45-56.

  • In Press DAVIS, A.L.V., SCHOLTZ, C.H. & HARRISON, J. du G. Cladistic, phenetic, and biogeographical analysis of the flightless dung beetle genus, Gyronotus van Lansberge (Scarabaeidae), in threatened eastern afrotropical forests. Journal of Natural History.

  • DAVIS, A.L.V. & SCHOLTZ, C.H. (In press) Historical versus ecological factors influencing global patterns of scarabaeine dung beetle diversity. Diversity and Distributions.

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