S. Mahunka szerk.: Folia Entomologica Hungarica 57. (Budapest, 1996)

ROVARTANI KÖZLEMÉNYEK LVII 1996 pp. 97-104 First record on the Scarabaeoidea (Coleoptera) fauna of Gödöllő (Hungary) L. Köteles and G. Bakonyi First record on the Scarabaeoidea (Coleoptera) fauna of Gödöllő (Hungary) — During a sampling interval of four years 99 Scarabaeoidea species were found at five characteristic habitats around Gödöllő. Although this number is high, because 53% of the Hungarian fauna was captured, the occurrence of further species is still possible. Species richness of permanent pasture grazed by cattle was higher than that of the wooded habitats. There is an urgent need to discover local faunae in order to develop scientific bases of nature protection and zoological monitoring in Hungary (Bartha et al. 1994). To achieve this goal continuous faunistical research on several animal taxa is in progress at the Department of Zoology and Ecology of the Gödöllő University of Agricultural Sciences. In total absence of information on the Scarabaeoidea fauna of Gödöllő, the aim of the study was to get basic data on species occurrence and distribution at some characteristic biotopes. METHODS Scarabaeoidea species were collected within a distance of about 10 km to Gödöllő. Five biotopes were sampled regularly on 185 days during 1989-1992. Main characteristics of these sampling places were as follows: Site 1. Pasture (S-l) — Experimental field of the Institute of Animal Husbandry, Gödöllő University of Agricultural Sciences. It is located near the university buildings. Permanent pasture grown with mixture of grasses, grazed by cattle. Site 2. Clearings of wood (S-2) — Some open places in an oak wood. Dominant plant species are Calamagrostis epigeios, Festuca wagneri and Poa pratensis. Preferred feeding places for game animals. Site 3. Oak plantation (S-3) — The age of oak trees is approximately 30—40 years. Shrub level is almost absent. Dominant plant species are Quercus petraea, Dactylis polygama, Litospermum purpureo-coeroleum, Poa nemoralis, Cherophillum temulum. Site 4. Cleared woodland (S-4) — Clearing was made about five years before the first sampling. Shrub level is abundant, composed first of all by the offshoots of Quercus stumps. Dominant plant species are Quercus robur, Qu. cerris, and Qu. pubescens stumps, Cornus sanguinea, Calamagrostis epigeios, Silene vulgaris and Poa nemoralis.