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.
Ochodaeidae, also known as the sand-loving scarab beetles, is a small family of scarabaeiform beetles occurring in many parts of the world.
Aphodiinae is a subfamily of the scarab beetle family, Scarabaeidae. Members of this subfamily are known commonly as the small dung beetles and many, but not all, are dung beetles. These beetles are found worldwide.
Phyllophaga is a very large genus of New World scarab beetles in the subfamily Melolonthinae. Common names for this genus and many other related genera in the subfamily Melolonthinae are May beetles, June bugs, and July beetles. They range in size from 12 to 35 mm and are blackish or reddish-brown in colour, without prominent markings, and often rather hairy ventrally. These beetles are nocturnal, and are attracted to artificial lights in great numbers.
Melolonthinae is a subfamily of the scarab beetles. It is a very diverse group; distributed over most of the world, it contains over 11,000 species in over 750 genera. Some authors include the scarab subfamilies Euchirinae and Pachypodinae as tribes in the Melolonthinae.
Amphionthophagus is a subgenus of scarab beetles in the genus Onthophagus of the family Scarabaeidae. There are at least three described species in Amphionthophagus. They are found in the Palearctic.
Diastellopalpus is a genus of Scarabaeidae or scarab beetles in the superfamily Scarabaeoidea. It was considered a subgenus of Onthophagus by some authorities.
Digitonthophagus is a genus of Scarabaeidae or scarab beetles in the superfamily Scarabaeoidea. It was considered a subgenus of Onthophagus by some authorities. A review of the taxon was published in 2017.
Euoniticellus is a genus of dung beetles in the subfamily Scarabaeinae of the scarab beetle family.
Euonthophagus is a genus of Scarabaeidae or scarab beetles in the superfamily Scarabaeoidea. It was considered a subgenus of Onthophagus by some authorities.
Altonthophagus is a subgenus of scarab beetles in the genus Onthophagus of the family Scarabaeidae. There are about 12 described species in Altonthophagus. They are found in the Palearctic and Indomalaya.
Sukelus is a genus of Scarabaeidae or scarab beetles in the tribe Onthophagini, containing the single species Sukelus jessopi.
Oniticellus is a genus of dung beetles in the subfamily Scarabaeinae of the scarab beetle family.
Onthophagus is a genus of dung beetles in the Onthophagini tribe of the wider scarab beetle family, Scarabaeidae. It is the most species-rich and widespread genus in the subfamily Scarabaeinae, with a global distribution.
Digitonthophagus gazella is a species of scarab beetle. It belongs to the genus Digitonthophagus, which was promoted from subgenus to genus level in 1959. There has been some confusion regarding the application of the names with many people using the outdated name Onthophagus gazella. Dung beetle experts use the term Digitonthophagus gazella.
Rutelinae or shining leaf chafers is a subfamily of the scarab beetles. It is a very diverse group; distributed over most of the world, it contains some 200 genera with over 4,000 described species in 7 tribes. Several taxa have yet to be described. A few recent classifications include the tribe Hopliini, but this is not generally accepted.
Aegialiinae is a small subfamily of the family Scarabaeidae. Historically the group has been treated as a tribe within a broad definition of the subfamily Aphodiinae.
Oniticellini are a tribe of scarab beetles, in the true dung beetle subfamily (Scarabaeinae). Nearly all species of this tribe feed on and nest in dung, mainly that of large herbivores. Most are tunnelers; dung is buried at the ends of tunnels dug below a dropping, and used as food by both adults and larvae; others, known as dwellers make brood cavities within or just beneath the dung.
Proagoderus is a genus of Scarabaeidae or scarab beetles in the subfamily Scarabaeinae. It was considered a subgenus of Onthophagus by some authorities. It includes over 100 species native to Africa and Asia.
