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Genus Ataenius

Dung Beetle? - Ataenius Ataenius spretulus Ataenius/Ataeniopsis? - Ataenius Brown-black dung beetle - Ataenius spretulus Ataenius? - Ataenius stephani small black beetle - Ataenius Ataenius  Ataenius? - Ataenius
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Coleoptera (Beetles)
Suborder Polyphaga
Superfamily Scarabaeoidea
Family Scarabaeidae (Scarab Beetles)
Subfamily Aphodiinae (Aphodiine Dung Beetles)
Tribe Eupariini
Genus Ataenius
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Recently split into a number of genera(1)
Explanation of Names
Ataenius Harold 1867
Numbers
50 spp. in our area, ~190 in the New World, >300 worldwide(2)(3)
Identification

key to spp. in(4), also see (5)
Range
worldwide, incl. most of NA; in our area, markedly more diverse in e. & s. US(2)
Habitat
organic accumulations along margins of open sands, leaf litter, ant/packrat nests, old mammal dung, etc. A. spretulus, the 'black turfgrass ataenius', is reported as a turf pest(2)
Food
Mostly detritivores, some specialize on dung(6)
Remarks
common at lights(2)