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Species Canthon pilularius

Dung Beetles with Dung Ball - Canthon pilularius

Common Tumblebug - Canthon pilularius - Canthon pilularius

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 Deltochilini

Genus Canthon (Tumblebugs)

No Taxon (subgenus Canthon)

Species pilularius (Canthon pilularius)

Other Common Names

Common Tumblebug

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

referred to as Canthon laevis in most of the American lit. prior to the early 1960s. There has been considerable confusion over the application of names in this sp. (1)

Scarabaeus hudsonias Forster, Coprobius obtusidens Ziegler, Canthon viridescens Horn

Explanation of Names

Canthon pilularius (Linnaeus 1758)

Size

11‒19 mm

Identification

generally dull black, southern specimens often green.

narrow eyes, shallow clypeal emargination, and the two sizes of granule on the body surface will serve to separate this sp. from other Canthon spp. in NE. (1)

Det. Dave Edmonds, 2024 - 'eyes small, and obvious granulation on prontum'

Range

e. US to AB - Map (2)(1)(3)(4)

Habitat

found commonly throughout NE (1), so not a habitat specialist

Season

Apr‒Oct in SC (5)

Apr-Sept in NE (1)

Food

dung from cattle, horses, and sheep is usually prefered. (1)

Remarks

not attracted to lights

Works Cited

1.	The Scarabaeoid Beetles of Nebraska Brett C. Ratcliffe & M.J. Paulsen. 2008. University of Nebraska State Museum, Vol 22, 570 pp.

2.	An annotated checklist of the Scarabaeoidea of Texas. Edward G. Riley & Charles S. Wolfe. 2003. Southwestern Entomologist, Supplement. 37 pp.

3.	Checklist of beetles (Coleoptera) of Canada and Alaska. Second edition Bousquet Y., Bouchard P., Davies A.E., Sikes D.S. 2013. ZooKeys 360: 1–402.

4.	Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)

5.	Scarab beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) of South Carolina Phillip J. Harpootlian. 2001. Clemson University Public Service.

Contributed by Cotinis on 15 August, 2004 - 12:21pm
Additional contributions by Phillip Harpootlian, Mike Quinn, v belov
Last updated 30 May, 2025 - 3:13pm

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