Family Scarabaeidae - Scarab Beetles

Lamellicorn Beetles

scare-ah-BEE-i-dee

Trogidae, and Glaphyridae formerly considered to be subfamilies of Scarabaeidae. See Ratcliffe and Jameson (2001) for a concise discussion of taxonomic issues.

Author of family is Latreille, 1802.

Etymology of the word scarab is somehwat unclear. From Westwood (1839:191-198); "The origin of the name Scarabaeus appears doubtful; the word, indeed, never occurs but in the writings of Latin authors; yet Fabricius and Olivier give its derivation from the Greek σκαπτω; which Mr. MacLeay doubts, considering it to be of Etruscan origin, adding, that it may have been obtained from the Greek σκαριφαοµαι, the verb διασκαριφησαι being properly applied to the actions of animals which scratch or dig up the earth with their claws. Pliny accordingly gave a particular description of the sacred beetle of the Egyptians under the name Scarabaeus; and, in later times, Linnaeus applied it in a general manner to the whole of the Lamellicorn beetles.."

The Century Dictionary (1) has the following discussion under scarab, summarized in the paragraph below:

English scarab is from French scarabee, derived from Latin scarabeus, meaning beetle. Compare Greek karabos (καραβοσ), variant karabios (καραβιοσ), meaning a horned beetle, a stag-beetle, and also a type of crab. Compare also Sanskrit karabha, a locust. The often-cited reconstructed Greek forms *scarabeios (*σκαραβειοσ) and *scarabos (*σκαραβοσ) are not authentic.

The connection with related Greek and Sanskrit words would indicate an Indo-European origin for the word. (Etruscan, mentioned in the quote above by Westwood, was not of the Indo-European language family.) Note, too, that this etymology shows that the words scarab and carabid are related.

Eric Partridge, in Origins: a Short Etymological Dictionary of Modern English (1958), gives some information for the related word carbine. He repeats much of the etymology given above but does suggest a possible connection of the Latin and Greek words with Egyptian kheprer, meaning, specifically, dung-beetle, a scarab in the narrow sense. (Compare the Egyptian god Khepri, associated with the dung-beetle.) The Egyptians made a variety of amulets representing the sacred scarab beetles, and these were traded throughout the Mediterranean world (various Internet searches). Perhaps the word for the beetle traveled as well, or perhaps the resemblance of an Indo-European word with an Egyptian one is a linguistic coincidence.

Worldwide, more than 27,000 species (Ratcliffe and Jameson, 2001).

Family SCARABAEIDAE

Subfamily APHODIINAE

NOTE: The taxonomy of the huge group traditionally called ‘Aphodius’ is a work in progress. In the Guide Aphodius is still treated as a single genus with many subgenera (now considered by most workers as separate genera). We included thumbnails showing members of all the subgenera represented in the Guide. (More info here.)

Subfamily SCARABAEINAE

Subfamily MELOLONTHINAE

Subfamily RUTELINAE

Subfamily DYNASTINAE

Subfamily CETONIINAE

North American species, 2-62 mm, most speces 2-20 mm. Worldwide, some reach 160 mm and weights of 100 gm. This family includes the heaviest of North American beetles, genus Dynastes.

Robust beetles, variable in shape, oval to somewhat elongated, usually convex, but some compressed. Many species brown or black, but a few groups brightly colored and/or patterned. In some groups males (and sometimes females) have prominent horns on head or pronotum--these are used in intraspecific struggles over mates or resources.

Characteristics:

Adults take a variety of foods, many feeding on fungus, dung, carrion, or other decomposing matter. Some feed on sap, pollen or nectar, fruit, foliage. A few are agricultural pests as adults. Some species are important pollinators.

Complete metamorphosis, like all beetles. Larvae typically feed on decomposing matter: dung, carrion, etc. Some live in soil and feed on roots--some of these are agricultural pests.

Related families below have lamellate antennae, but the lobes cannot be folded up:

Formerly listed as subfamilies of Scarabaeidae:

The Century Dictionary--entry for scarab (1)

American Beetles, Vol. 2, Chapter 34 (2)

Scarabs of Florida (3)

The Scarabaeoid Beetles of Nebraska (4)

Scarabs of South Carolina (5)

The Beetles of Northeastern North America, 2 Volumes (6)

The Beetles of the Pacific Northwest, Volume 5 (7)

White, Field Guide to the Beetles (8)

Castner, Photographic Atlas of Entomology, p. 118 (9)

Checklist of the Scarabaeoidea of the Nearctic Realm, Version 4, 2009

Checklist of the Scarabaeoidea of California

Generic Guide to New World Scarabs

Insects of Cedar Creek

West Virginia Scarabaeidae

Tree of Life (Scarabaeoidea)

ENY 3005 Family Identification Univ. Florida

Checklist of the Texas Scarabaeoidea

Northern Arizona Univ. - Collection database. Not surprisingly, incomplete list for state, but still useful. Some old nomenclature and other minor errors present.

Checklist of Canadian Scarabs