It has horns resembling Onthophagus gaz*ella's but it is a minor male of Onthophagus taurus. Apparently some minor males have only a hint of horn buds. Minor males tend to be smaller and have shorter wings than major males. A hormonal switch that triggers large horns when the pronotum reaches a certain width fails to activate if the larval food supply is inadequate to make a wide pronotum. The short-horned males then try to sneak copulation with receptive females while major males scuffle with their large horns.