| Onthophagus vacca | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Onthophagus vacca, male and female. Museum specimens | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Family: | Scarabaeidae |
| Genus: | Onthophagus |
| Species: | O. vacca |
| Binomial name | |
| Onthophagus vacca (Linnaeus, 1767) | |
Onthophagus vacca is a species of dung beetles in the Onthophagini tribe of the wider scarab beetle family, Scarabaeidae. [1]
Onthophagus vacca can reach a length of 7–13 millimetres (0.28–0.51 in). [2] Pronotum is densely punctured. The first pair of legs are powerful, with three teeth on the outside and fit to digging. Head, legs and pronotum are black or dark green, while elytrae are yellowish with small green dots, often merged into longitudinal stripes.
This species is present in most of Southern Europe, Western Asia and North Africa. [3] It was introduced to Australia in 2014 to improve processing of cattle dung. [4]
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Gibbonthophagus is a subgenus of scarab beetles in the genus Onthophagus of the family Scarabaeidae. There are more than 40 described species in Gibbonthophagus. They are found mainly in Asia.
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.
Caccobius schreberi is a species of Scarabaeidae or scarab beetles in the superfamily Scarabaeoidea.
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.
Onthophagus unifasciatus, is a species of true dung beetle native to India and Sri Lanka.
Onthophagus centricornis is a species of dung beetle found in India, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan. It is a small arboreal dung beetle inhabited in both dry and wet forests.
Onthophagus cervus, is a species of dung beetle found in Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, India, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Thailand.
Onthophagus falsus, is a species of dung beetle found in India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
Onthophagus favrei, is a species of dung beetle found in India, and Sri Lanka.
Onthophagus heterorrhinus, is a species of dung beetle found in India, Sri Lanka and Myanmar.
Onthophagus laevigatus, is a species of dung beetle found in India, and Sri Lanka.
Onthophagus ludio, is a species of dung beetle found in India, and Sri Lanka.
Onthophagus luridipennis, is a species of dung beetle found in India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Indonesia.
