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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Beetles (Coleoptera) » Polyphaga » Scarabaeoidea » Scarab Beetles (Scarabaeidae) » Dung Beetles (Scarabaeinae) » Phanaeini » Rainbow Scarabs (Phanaeus) » Rainbow Scarab (Phanaeus vindex)

Species Phanaeus vindex - Rainbow Scarab

Rainbow Scarab Beetle - Phanaeus vindex - male Rainbow Beetle? - Phanaeus vindex Unknown Rainbow Scarab with parasites - Phanaeus vindex Scarab Beetle - possible Rainbow Scarab? - Phanaeus vindex Major Male - Phanaeus vindex - male Phanaeus vindex - male Rainbow Scarab - Phanaeus vindex - male - female very colorful scarab - Phanaeus vindex
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 Scarabaeinae (Dung Beetles)
Tribe Phanaeini
Genus Phanaeus (Rainbow Scarabs)
Species vindex (Rainbow Scarab)
Explanation of Names
Phanaeus (Phanaeus) vindex MacLeay 1819
vindex 'defender' (1)
Size
11-22 mm(2)
Identification
Pronotum coppery red, elytra green. Pronotum of "major" male has sharp posterior angles.

Major males, depicted, are easier to differentiate than minor males (w/ short horns) and females (w/ very short horns).
Range
e US to AZ (ME-FL to NE-AZ); n. Mexico(2) (the most widespread Phanaeus in the US)
Habitat
broad ecological parameters from Sonoran Desert to subtropical Florida to New England(2)
Life Cycle
may hybridize with P. difformis(2)
Print References
Blume R.R., Aga A. (1978) Observations on ecological and phylogenetic relationships of Phanaeus difformis LeConte and Phanaeus vindex MacLeay (Coleopetera: Scarabaeidae) in North America. Southw. Entomol. 3: 113-120.
Works Cited
1.Dictionary of Word Roots and Combining Forms
Donald J. Borror. 1960. Mayfield Publishing Company.
2.Revision of Phanaeus MacLeay, A New World genus of scarabaeine dung beetles
Edmonds, W.D. 1994. 1994. Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Contributions to Science 443.
Contributed by Cotinis on 2 August, 2004 - 9:04pm
Additional contributions by Hannah Nendick-Mason, Phillip Harpootlian, Mike Quinn, v belov
Last updated 28 May, 2021 - 9:24pm

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