| Phelotrupes auratus | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Family: | Geotrupidae |
| Genus: | Phelotrupes |
| Species: | P. auratus |
| Binomial name | |
| Phelotrupes auratus Motschulsky, 1857 | |
Phelotrupes auratus is a species of beetle known by the common names Japanese earth-boring dung beetle and golden dung beetle. [1] [2]
These beetles have a body length of 15–21 mm. The body is oblong-oval shaped. The clypeus is extended forward. The longitudinal groove on the pronotum is well developed. In the male, the fore tibiae have several spines, slightly differing from each other in length. Elytra display strongly developed grooves. The color of the beetles is bright, with a strong metallic sheen ranging from golden-green to violet-purple. Antennae have 11 segments with the terminal 3 segments being flabellate. [3] [4]
Phelotrupes auratus can be found in eastern China, North and South Korea and throughout Japan. [5]
The larva is similar in structure to the larvae of other members of the family Geotrupidae. Body is thick, and white or yellowish in color. The head capsule is strongly sclerotized, colored brown or dark brown. Antennae are three-segmented. The frontal suture is absent. [6]
Phelotrupes auratus contains the following subspecies:
Beetles are insects that form the order Coleoptera, in the superorder Holometabola. Their front pair of wings are hardened into wing-cases, elytra, distinguishing them from most other insects. The Coleoptera, with about 400,000 described species, is the largest of all orders, constituting almost 40% of described insects and 25% of all known animal species; new species are discovered frequently, with estimates suggesting that there are between 0.9 and 2.1 million total species. Found in almost every habitat except the sea and the polar regions, they interact with their ecosystems in several ways: beetles often feed on plants and fungi, break down animal and plant debris, and eat other invertebrates. Some species are serious agricultural pests, such as the Colorado potato beetle, while others such as Coccinellidae eat aphids, scale insects, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects that damage crops. Some others also have unique characteristics, such as the common eastern firefly, which uses a light-emitting organ for mating and communication purposes
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 in recent years. 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).
The telephone-pole beetle is a beetle native to the eastern United States and the only living representative of the otherwise extinct family Micromalthidae. Larvae of the beetle live in decaying wood and can be pests to wooden structures, lending them their common name, the 'telephone-pole beetle.'
Dung beetles are beetles that feed on feces. Some species of dung beetles can bury dung 250 times their own mass in one night.
Histeridae is a family of beetles commonly known as clown beetles or hister beetles. This very diverse group of beetles contains 3,900 species found worldwide. They can be easily identified by their shortened elytra that leaves two of the seven tergites exposed, and their geniculate (elbowed) antennae with clubbed ends. These predatory feeders are most active at night and will fake death if they feel threatened. This family of beetles will occupy almost any kind of niche throughout the world. Hister beetles have proved useful during forensic investigations to help in time of death estimation. Also, certain species are used in the control of livestock pests that infest dung and to control houseflies. Because they are predacious and will even eat other hister beetles, they must be isolated when collected.
Geotrupidae is a family of beetles in the order Coleoptera. They are commonly called earth-boring dung beetles or dor beetles. Most excavate burrows in which to lay their eggs. They are typically detritivores, provisioning their nests with leaf litter, but are occasionally coprophagous, similar to dung beetles. The eggs are laid in or upon the provision mass and buried, and the developing larvae feed upon the provisions. The burrows of some species can exceed 2 metres in depth.
Ochodaeidae, also known as the sand-loving scarab beetles, is a small family of scarabaeiform beetles occurring in many parts of the world.
Carabus auratus, the golden ground beetle, is a species of ground beetle in the genus Carabus. This species is native to central and western Europe and has been introduced into North America.
Anoplotrupes stercorosus, the dor beetle, is a species of earth-boring dung beetle belonging to the family Geotrupidae, subfamily Geotrupinae.
Scolytus jacobsoni is an elm bark beetle occurring in forests of mixed broad-leaves with elm trees in Asia. In southeastern Russia, during years of outbreaks S. jacobsoni often attacks healthy trees along forest edges or standing alone along roads and in fields and gardens, making it an important pest for elm trees there. Reported hosts include Ulmus davidiana, Ulmus japonica, Ulmus laciniata, Ulmus propinqua, Carpinus betulus, and Pyrus ussuriensis.
Typhaeus typhoeus, or the minotaur beetle, is a beetle in the family Geotrupidae, also referred to as earth-boring dung beetles. They are native to Europe. The beetle is named after the Typhon, a giant of Greek mythology.
Bolboceratinae is a subfamily of earth-boring scarab beetles in the family Geotrupidae. There are about 8 genera and at least 40 described species in Bolboceratinae.
Bolbocerosoma farctum, the fancy dung beetle, is a species of earth-boring scarab beetle in the family Geotrupidae. It is found in North America.
Geotrupes balyi, or Baly's earth boring beetle, is a species of earth-boring scarab beetle in the family Geotrupidae. It is found in North America.
Bolbocerosoma bruneri is a species of earth-boring scarab beetle in the family Geotrupidae. It is found in North America.
Mycotrupes gaigei, the North peninsular mycotrupes beetle, is a species of earth-boring scarab beetle in the family Geotrupidae. It is found in North America.
Dytiscus semisulcatus, the brown-bellied great diving beetle , is an aquatic diving beetle native to Europe and northern Asia, and is particularly common in England. It is a large dark red-brown or black beetle, that can fly and lives near water.
Liatongus rhadamistus, or Scaptodera rhadamistus, is a species of dung beetle found in India, Sri Lanka, Laos and Thailand.
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.
Perothops is a genus of false click beetles in the family Eucnemidae containing 3 species. They are known as beech-tree beetles or perothopid beetles. They are small as they are only 10–18 millimeters long. It is the only genus in the monotypic subfamily Perothopinae. They are dark-colored beetles that are found across the United States, generally in forests. The genus was discovered by Johann Friedrich von Eschscholtz in 1836. It used to be considered a family not part of Eucnemidae. The genus's name is from Greek, translating to "maimed/crippled eye" or "eye of little necklaces/bands", referring to the placement of perothopid eyes.
