Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
Clickable Guide
Moths Butterflies Flies Caterpillars Flies Dragonflies Flies Mantids Cockroaches Bees and Wasps Walkingsticks Earwigs Ants Termites Hoppers and Kin Hoppers and Kin Beetles True Bugs Fleas Grasshoppers and Kin Ticks Spiders Scorpions Centipedes Millipedes

Calendar
Upcoming Events

See Moth submissions from National Moth Week 2023

Photos of insects and people from the 2022 BugGuide gathering in New Mexico, July 20-24

Photos of insects and people from the Spring 2021 gathering in Louisiana, April 28-May 2

Photos of insects and people from the 2019 gathering in Louisiana, July 25-27

Photos of insects and people from the 2018 gathering in Virginia, July 27-29

Photos of insects and people from the 2015 gathering in Wisconsin, July 10-12


Previous events


TaxonomyBrowse
Info
ImagesLinksBooksData

Subfamily Aphodiinae - Aphodiine Dung Beetles

Ophodius rusicola - Oscarinus rusicola Geopsammodius prob subpedalis from Bald Point State Park - Geopsammodius subpedalis Aphodiine Scarab - Agoliinus Pseudagolius coloradensis Ataenius fattigi Dung Beetle - Colobopterus erraticus Scarabaeoidea – Scarab Beetles - Scarabaeidae – Aphodiine Dung Beetles – Aphodiinae - Aphodiini - Melinopterus prodromus Aphodiinae on a snowpack  - Teuchestes fossor
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)
Other Common Names
Small Dung Beetles (1)
Explanation of Names
Aphodiinae Leach 1815
Numbers
>400 spp. in 35-84 genera (depending on classification) of 6 tribes in our area, ~3200 spp. in ~280 genera worldwide, arranged into 12 tribes(2)
Size
rarely over 15 mm, most are less than 8 mm(2)
Range
worldwide and throughout NA(2)
Food
many feed on dung, some are detritivores, psammophiles, saprophages, inquilines with ants or termites, or may potentially be predators; adults with reduced mandibles are suspected to feed primarily on bacteria or yeast-rich fluids in dung or decaying materials(2)