Sit-and-wait for the agoutis! Phoretic behaviour of dung beetles in tropical forest

Sit-and-wait for the agoutis! Phoretic behaviour of dung beetles in tropical forest Description of the data and file structure This dataset contains camera trap records documenting phoretic interactions between dung beetles (Scarabaeinae) and agoutis (Dasyprocta azarae) in the Atlantic Forest, Brazil. The data support the first documented evidence of this behaviour and combine structured observation records with illustrative video material. Study area and data collection Data were collected in Rio Doce State Park (RDSP), Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil (19°48′S, 42°38′W). In September 2016, 15 camera traps were installed along four main trails (Campolina, Vinhático, Juquita, and Mombaça) and operated continuously for 31 days. Cameras recorded 30-second HD videos with a 60-second interval between recordings. Only observations spaced at least one hour apart and clearly showing the agouti’s tail or back were included. Files and variables agouti_dungbeetle_interaction.xlsx Excel file containing camera trap observation records. Each row corresponds to a single observation event. Variables: n_video: identifier linking the observation to a video fragment area: study area (trail) plot: sampling plot or camera location interaction: presence or absence of agouti–dung beetle interaction n_dung_beetles: number of dung beetles observed data: date of observation time: time of day of observation step_interactions.mp4 Video file containing short video fragments illustrating agouti–dung beetle interactions. Important note:The video does not represent a continuous behavioural sequence. It is a compilation of independent fragments recorded at different times and moments, assembled solely to illustrate the behaviour described in the dataset.