ALTITUDINAL DISTRIBUTION PATTERNS OF COPRO-NECROPHAGE SCARABAEOIDEA (COLEOPTERA) IN VERACRUZ, MEXICO

Patterns of altitudinal distribution of copro-necrophage scarabaeoid c ommunities on a subtropical mountain of the Mexican Transition Zone (V olcanic Transverse Belt, Veracruz) are compared with those of a Medite rranean cordillera (Central Iberian System). The influence of vegetati on on community structure was also checked. It was found that the numb er of species decreases and the copro-necrophage scarabaeoid community structure undergoes modification as altitude increases. Although the number of species was small, altitudinal segregation in the Mexican Tr ansition Zone is like that in the Central Iberian System (Aphodiidae a nd Geotrupidae at higher altitudes, Scarabaeidae at lower ones). Antro pic fragmentation and transformation of primary forests in subtropical areas (mountain mesophilous and conifer forest) result in a qualitati ve and quantitative change in the structure of communities. This pheno menon is attenuated in mountain forests by the impoverishment of fauna due to the increase in altitude.