Mating strategies of the dung beetle Kheper nigroaeneus

Male dung beetles within the tribe Scarabaeini are most often the “active” partners in
making and rolling brood balls. Here I observed the hypotheses of who’s making
and rolling dung balls in the dung beetle Kheper nigroaeneus. It has been shown that
ball size is correlated with beetle size and that under competition, ball construction
time and ball volume are both reduced. I tested these studies by measuring and
weighing dung beetles and their dung balls. My finding is that pronotum width is
correlated with ball size and is the most important determining factor of dung ball
size.
Second Language Abstract: Manzemu wa xinunu e nthlhambini wa Scarabaeini hiyena anga
mahlweni hiku endla tibola naku ti khunguluxa. Laha ndzi
kambele hiku vhumba ka dyondzo leyi ndzingana yona leswaku
hiwihi loyi a endlaka naku khunguluxa ti bola entlhambini i Kheper
nigraeneus. Switi komba kahle leswaku manzemu un’wana na
un’wana u endla bolo yaku n’wi ringana. Sweswo ndzi swi kume
hiku kala ntiko wava manzemu, ku kula ka vona na tibolo ta vona.
Ndzi kume leswaku ku anama ka nhlana wa manzemu un’wana na
un’wana ku ringanana na bolo leyi a yi kunguluxaka, hikuva hlana
wa mansemu i xirho xa nkoka loko swi fika kaku endla naku
khunguluxa bolo.