Scarabaeidae

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Scarab beetle
Reitter-1908 table74.jpg
Central European scarab beetles
with some anatomical details. Edmund Reitter's Fauna Germanica, 1908
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Suborder: Polyphaga
Infraorder: Scarabaeiformia
Superfamily: Scarabaeoidea
Family: Scarabaeidae
Latreille, 1802
Subfamilies [1] [2] [3]
On this high quality closeup, head anatomic details are well visible. Portrait of Beelte from Scarabaeidae family.jpg
On this high quality closeup, head anatomic details are well visible.

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 (e.g., Bolboceratidae, Geotrupidae, Glaresidae, Glaphyridae, Hybosoridae, Ochodaeidae, and Pleocomidae), and some reduced to lower ranks. The subfamilies listed in this article are in accordance with those in Catalog of Life (2023). [3]

Contents

Description

Sacred scarab in a cartouche of Thutmosis III from Karnak temple of Amun-Ra, Egypt Scarab Cartouche of Thutmosis III from Karnak.JPG
Sacred scarab in a cartouche of Thutmosis III from Karnak temple of Amun-Ra, Egypt

Scarabs are stout-bodied beetles, many with bright metallic colours, measuring between 1.5 and 160 millimetres (0.059 and 6.3 in). They have distinctive, clubbed antennae composed of plates called lamellae that can be compressed into a ball or fanned out like leaves to sense odours. Many species are fossorial, with legs adapted for digging. In some groups males (and sometimes females) have prominent horns on the head and/or pronotum to fight over mates or resources. [4] The largest fossil scarabaeid was Oryctoantiquus borealis with a length of 50 millimetres (2.0 in). [5]

A scarab beetle grub from Australia. Curl grub.jpg
A scarab beetle grub from Australia.

The C-shaped larvae, called grubs, are pale yellow or white. Most adult beetles are nocturnal, although the flower chafers (Cetoniinae) and many leaf chafers (Rutelinae) are active during the day. The grubs mostly live underground or under debris, so are not exposed to sunlight. Many scarabs are scavengers that recycle dung, carrion, or decaying plant material. [6] Others, such as the Japanese beetle, are plant-eaters, wreaking havoc on various crops and vegetation.

Some of the well-known beetles from the Scarabaeidae are Japanese beetles, dung beetles, June beetles, rose chafers (Australian, European, and North American), rhinoceros beetles, Hercules beetles and Goliath beetles.

Several members of this family have structurally coloured shells which act as left-handed circular polarisers; this was the first-discovered example of circular polarization in nature. [7]

Ancient Egypt

In Ancient Egypt, the dung beetle now known as Scarabaeus sacer (formerly Ateuchus sacer) was revered as sacred. Egyptian amulets representing the sacred scarab beetles were traded throughout the Mediterranean world. [4]

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Cetonia aurata</i> Species of beetle

Cetonia aurata, called the rose chafer or the green rose chafer, is a beetle, 20 millimetres long, that has a metallic structurally coloured green and a distinct V-shaped scutellum. The scutellum is the small V-shaped area between the wing cases; it may show several small, irregular, white lines and marks. The underside of the beetle has a coppery colour, and its upper side is sometimes bronze, copper, violet, blue/black, or grey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dung beetle</span> Informal group of insects

Dung beetles are beetles that feed on feces. Some species of dung beetles can bury dung 250 times their own mass in one night.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scarabaeoidea</span> Superfamily of beetles

Scarabaeoidea is a superfamily of beetles, the only subgroup of the infraorder Scarabaeiformia. Around 35,000 species are placed in this superfamily and some 200 new species are described each year. Its constituent families are also undergoing revision presently, and the family list below is only preliminary. This superfamily includes some of the largest beetles extant today, including rhinoceros beetles, (Dynastinae), the Hercules beetle and Goliath beetles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dynastinae</span> Subfamily of beetles

Dynastinae or rhinoceros beetles are a subfamily of the scarab beetle family (Scarabaeidae). Other common names – some for particular groups of rhinoceros beetles – include Hercules beetles, unicorn beetles or horn beetles. Over 1,500 species and 225 genera of rhinoceros beetles are known.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ochodaeidae</span> Family of beetles

Ochodaeidae, also known as the sand-loving scarab beetles, is a small family of scarabaeiform beetles occurring in many parts of the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scarabaeinae</span> Subfamily of beetles

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aphodiinae</span> Subfamily of beetles

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.

<i>Scarabaeus sacer</i> Species of beetle

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.

Canthidium is a genus of dung beetles in the family Scarabaeidae. There are at least 170 described species in Canthidium.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">European chafer</span> Species of beetle

The European chafer is a beetle of the family Scarabaeidae. Formerly found only in continental Europe, this invasive species is now found at temperate latitudes in North America. The large, white grubs of A. majale feed on the roots of most cool-latitude grasses, both wild and cultivated. This has made the European chafer an enemy of lawns.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rutelinae</span> Subfamily of beetles

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bolboceratidae</span> Family of beetles

Bolboceratidae is a family of beetle. It was historically treated as a subfamily of the earth-boring dung beetles, or "dor beetles", but has been considered a separate family by many authors since 1995. Some recent classifications have persisted in treating bolboceratids as a subfamily (e.g.) but these classifications are contradicted by recent phylogenetic studies of relationships indicating that bolboceratids are not closely related to geotrupids.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aegialiinae</span> Subfamily of beetles

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.

<i>Phanaeus</i> (beetle) Genus of beetles

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.

<i>Pyronota festiva</i> Species of beetle

Pyronota festiva, commonly known as mānuka beetle or mānuka chafer, is a member of the genus Pyronota of the beetle family Scarabaeidae. It is a scarab beetle endemic to New Zealand, and is commonly found in mānuka trees, hence the beetle's name. In some areas it is considered a pasture pest.

Protognathinus is an extinct genus of stag beetle from the Eocene of Europe, known from the Messel Pit in Germany. This genus is known from the single species P. spielbergi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phanaeini</span> Tribe of beetles

Phanaeini is a tribe of dung beetles in the family Scarabaeidae. There are about 12 genera and 200 described species in Phanaeini. They are native to the Americas with the highest species richness in the Neotropics. They are mostly coprophagous or necrophagous, but some of the least known genera appear to be myrmecophilous. They are medium-sized to large beetles, often with bright metallic colors, and often with horns on their heads.

Gymnetina is a genus of fruit and flower chafers in the family of beetles known as Scarabaeidae. There are about six described species in Gymnetina.

Onthophagus unifasciatus, is a species of true dung beetle native to India and Sri Lanka.

Oryctoantiquus is a genus of middle Eocene beetles in the Dynastinae clade. Oryctoantiquus is known for being the oldest known genus of Dynastinae and is also known for being the largest discovered Scarabaeidae so far. The genus only has one known species, O. borealis. The species and genus was found in Oregon, United States and dates from around 44.6 million years to 46.8 million years ago in the Clarno formation, middle Eocene epoch.

References

  1. Bouchard, Patrice; Bousquet, Yves; Davies, Anthony E.; Alonso-Zarazaga, Miguel A.; et al. (2011). "Family-group names in Coleoptera (Insecta)". ZooKeys (88): 1–972. Bibcode:2011ZooK...88....1B. doi: 10.3897/zookeys.88.807 . ISSN   1313-2989. PMC   3088472 . PMID   21594053.
  2. Dietz, Lars; Seidel, Matthias; Eberle, Jonas; Misof, Bernhard; et al. (2023). "A transcriptome-based phylogeny of Scarabaeoidea confirms the sister group relationship of dung beetles and phytophagous pleurostict scarabs (Coleoptera)". Systematic Entomology. 48 (4): 672–686. Bibcode:2023SysEn..48..672D. doi: 10.1111/syen.12602 .
  3. 1 2 "Scarabaeidae Latreille, 1802". Catalogue of Life. Retrieved 2023-09-22.
  4. 1 2 bugguide.net Family Scarabaeidae - Scarab Beetles
  5. Brett Ratcliffe, Dena M. Smith, Diane Marie Erwin. "Oryctoantiquus borealis, New Genus and Species from the Eocene of Oregon, U.S.A., the World's Oldest Fossil Dynastine and Largest Fossil Scarabaeid (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae)". 2009. The Coleopterists Bulletin 59(Mar 2005):127-135 DOI:10.1649/0010-065X(2005)059[0127:OBNGAS]2.0.CO;2
  6. Marcos Paulo Gomes Gonçalves (2017). "Relação Entre Tempo e Besouros em Mata de Cocal" [Relationship Between Meteorological Conditions and Beetles in Mata de Cocal]. Revista Brasileira de Meteorologia (in Portuguese). 32 (4): 543–554. doi: 10.1590/0102-7786324003 .
  7. A. A. Michelson (1911). "On metallic colourings in birds and insects". Philosophical Magazine . 21 (124): 554–567. doi:10.1080/14786440408637061.

Further reading