Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
Home
» Guide »
Arthropods (Arthropoda)
»
Hexapods (Hexapoda)
»
Insects (Insecta)
»
Beetles (Coleoptera)
»
Polyphaga
»
Series Staphyliniformia
»
Hydrophiloidea
»
Water Scavenger Beetles (Hydrophilidae)
»
Sphaeridiinae
»
Sphaeridium
»
Sphaeridium scarabaeoides
Species
Sphaeridium scarabaeoides
Classification
Kingdom
Animalia (Animals)
Phylum
Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum
Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class
Insecta (Insects)
Order
Coleoptera (Beetles)
Suborder
Polyphaga
No Taxon
(Series Staphyliniformia)
Superfamily
Hydrophiloidea
Family
Hydrophilidae (Water Scavenger Beetles)
Subfamily
Sphaeridiinae
Genus
Sphaeridium
Species
scarabaeoides
(Sphaeridium scarabaeoides)
Explanation of Names
Sphaeridium scarabaeoides
(Linnaeus)
Numbers
One of four Nearctic species in the genus.
Size
4.0-7.1 mm
Identification
Most similar to
S. lunatum
. See Berge Henegouwen (1989).
Range
Widely distributed in US and southern Canada; Mexico; native to Palaearctic.
Habitat
Dung, especially cow dung.
Food
Dung.
Remarks
The family is mostly a water-dwelling group, but some species are modified for "swimming" in dung, or otherwise living in relatively moist habitats.
Introduced from Europe.
Print References
(
1
)
Internet References
Berge Henegouwen, A. van. 1989.
Sphaeridium marginatum
reinstated as a species distinct from
S. bipustulatum
(Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae). Entomologische berichten 49: 168-170.
Link to PDF
Works Cited
1.
A Manual of Common Beetles of Eastern North America
Dillon, Elizabeth S., and Dillon, Lawrence. 1961. Row, Peterson, and Company.
Contributed by
Stephen_WV
on 14 February, 2005 - 7:37pm
Additional contributions by
Beatriz Moisset
,
mpintar
Last updated 19 February, 2022 - 7:57am