A comparison of hindgut microbes from multiple species of dung beetles with different diets, gut morphologies and phylogenetic relationships. Raw sequence reads
Dung beetles (Scarabaeinae) provide a unique opportunity to compare relationships between host and gut microbes as they have been derived from a common ancestor with a coprophagic diet, yet several species have secondarily adapted to alternative diets. Here we explore the gut microbial community of 21 Australian dung beetle species from different phylogenetic lineages with different diets and gut morphologies. A simple microbial community is seen in dung-feeders but an increasingly more complex microbial community is seen in species that have broader diets. Changes to gut morphology are associated with the establishment of a more diverse gut microbiota, which may have helped to expand the evolutionary capacity of the beetles by enabling them to utilise a greater range of food resources. This study adds a new perspective to the evolutionary history of this diverse, ecologically valuable group.