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Exotic manure is sure to lure the dung connoisseur

Dung beetles have no customer loyalty: This paper just grabs you with the first sentence: "Although the preference of dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) for specific types and conditions of dung has been given substantial attention, little has been done to investigate the potential effects of exotic mammal introduction." It both calls you to look through its references to past work (who were these people who gave dung beetle preferences substantial attention, and what conditions of dung did they test?), it also begs you to read on, and discover whether the dung of exotic animals is, well, exotic. Apparently, the beetles are hot for primate dung, with humans and chimps coming out ahead in the taste test. The press release is also worth a read, earning bonus Weird Science points for the title, "Exotic manure is sure to lure the dung connoisseur." It points out that the dung beetles may just be seeking variety, as "native Nebraskan dung beetles which coevolved with bison showed little attraction to bison

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