The family Scarabaeidae, as currently defined, consists of over 35,000 species of beetles worldwide; they are often called scarabs or scarab beetles. The classification of this family has undergone significant change. Several groups formerly treated as subfamilies have been elevated to family rank, and some reduced to lower ranks. The subfamilies listed in this article are in accordance with those in Catalog of Life (2023).
Dung beetles are beetles that feed on feces. Some species of dung beetles can bury dung 250 times their own mass in one night..
The scarab beetle subfamily Scarabaeinae consists of species collectively called true dung beetles. Most of the beetles of this subfamily feed exclusively on dung. However, some may feed on decomposing matter including carrion, decaying fruits and fungi. Dung beetles can be placed into three structural guilds based on their method of dung processing namely rollers (telecoprids), dwellers (endocoprids) and tunnelers (paracoprids). Dung removal and burial by dung beetles result in ecological benefits such as soil aeration and fertilization; improved nutrient cycling and uptake by plants, increase in Pasture quality, biological control of pest flies and intestinal parasites and secondary seed dispersal. Well-known members include the genera Scarabaeus and Sisyphus, and Phanaeus vindex.
Scarabaeus sacer, common name sacred scarab, is the type species of the genus Scarabaeus and the family Scarabaeidae. This dung beetle is native of southern Europe, northern Africa and western Asia, and it was venerated in ancient Egypt.
Heliocopris is a genus of Scarabaeidae or scarab beetles in the superfamily Scarabaeoidea. Forty-seven of the fifty-two known species are found in Africa, but a few are found in southern and southeast Asia.
Phanaeus, the rainbow scarabs, is a genus of true dung beetles in the family Scarabaeidae, ranging from the United States to northern Argentina, with the highest species richness in Mexico. Depending on species, they can inhabit a wide range of habitats, from tropical to temperate climates and deserts to rainforests. In those living in relatively arid places adults are primarily active during the wet season and those living in relatively cold places are primarily active during the summer. They are excellent diggers and good fliers.
Phanaeus demon is a species of beetles belonging to the family Scarabaeidae. This species is often incorrectly named as "damon" in collections and in the literature.
Sulcophanaeus is a genus of dung beetles belonging to the family Scarabaeidae. Most species in this genus are from tropical and subtropical South America, but a few are found in Central America and Mexico, and S. carnifex is from Jamaica. Sulcophanaeus are mostly coprophagous, but some are also necrophagous. They are paracoprids, meaning that adults dig tunnels into the soil under the food source and move parts of the food source to a nest chamber where the eggs are laid, and their activity pattern varies depending on species.
Alissonotum piceum, is a species of dung beetle found in India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Réunion island and Mauritius.
Gymnopleurus sericeifrons is a species of dung beetle found in Afro-tropical countries such as Mozambique, Kenya, India and Sri Lanka.
Onitis philemon is a species of dung beetle found in India, Sri Lanka, China and Taiwan.
Onitis subopacus is a species of dung beetle found in Austro-Oriental, Oriental, South and West Palearctic regions.
Onitis visthara is a species of dung beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. It is only known from its type locality in the outskirts of Bengaluru in Karnataka state of India.
Onitis bhomorensis, is a species of dung beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. It is only known from its type locality near Tezpur in Assam state of India.
Onitis assamensis, is a species of dung beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. It is only known from its type locality Kaziranga National Park in Assam state of India. The spiecimen was first collected in Kaziranga by A. K. Ghosh in 1971 and described by S Biswas in 1979.
Onitis bordati, is a species of dung beetle in the family Scarabaeidae.
Onitis brahma is a species of dung beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. It is only known from India but fairly widespread in peninsular India.
Onitis castaneus is a species of dung beetle in the family Scarabaeidae.. Description based on two specimen collected by Harold in Kashmir.
Onitis crassus is a species of dung beetle in the family Scarabaeidae described by David Sharp based on a specimen collected in India.
Onitis virens is a species of dung beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. It is fairly widespread in south Asia.
