Rainfall shapes the physiological condition, but not the body size, of an introduced dung beetle in Brazilian pastures

Seasonal rainfall patterns play a crucial role in shaping the biology,
ecology, and physiology of animals, particularly in tropical and
subtropical ecosystems. Understanding these dynamics is critical under
climate change scenarios, as shifts in rainfall regimes can disrupt
phenological and physiological adaptations. However, physiological
responses of Digitonthophagus gazella (Fabricius, 1787), an African dung
beetle introduced worldwide for pasture improvement, to seasonal rainfall
variation remain poorly understood. Here, we evaluated the effects of
seasonal rainfall on physiological condition of D.
gazella collected during the dry and rainy seasons in introduced
Brazilian pastures. So, we developed one dataset containing body condition
metrics (e.g., body size, body dry mass, lipid mass and muscle mass) of
males and females of D. gazella sampled in the dry and rainy season in
pasturelands. We found that seasons did not affect D. gazella body size,
dry and lipid masses. The dry season had individuals with higher muscle
mass compared to the rainy season. These findings suggest that D. gazella
individuals tolerate seasonal fluctuations, which may buffer them against
seasonal environmental stress. Such plasticity may underlie the species’
resilience and contribute to its successful establishment and ongoing
expansion in tropical and subtropical pastures.