Dung beetles are small but they are one of the hardest-working animals on the planet. Interestingly, they exist almost everywhere in the world except Antarctica. And these small beetles are responsible for cleaning animal faeces, providing soil nutrients, and sustaining entire ecosystems.
Dung beetles have thousands of species across the globe, even beyond human discovery. So in this page, we will classify dung beetles, the reason scientists have classified dung beetles in the manner they do. We will also explain the importance of dung beetle diversity not only to science, but to agriculture, conservation and health of our environment.
What Are Dung Beetles?
Dung beetles are insects that feed mainly on animal faeces. Not the most pleasant thing, but they play a vital role in the ecosystem. They fertilize the soil, reduce greenhouse gases and prevent disease spread by burying and degrading dung.
The dung beetles are scientifically classified as the Scarabaeinae subfamily of the Scarabaeidae family which lies in the order of large beetles known as Coleoptera. More than 6000 species of true dung beetles have already been described and new ones are still being discovered. They all use dung in their own way, but all help to keep nature clean and in balance.
The Taxonomic Breakdown of Dung Beetles
To understand where dung beetles place within the insect realm, we should consider their placement within the scientific taxonomy. Dung beetles belong to the superfamily Scarabaeoidea, which contains the famous scarab beetles.
Here is a breakdown of their taxonomy:
| Rank | Group Name |
|---|---|
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Arthropoda |
| Class | Insecta |
| Order | Coleoptera |
| Family | Scarabaeidae |
| Subfamily | Scarabaeidae |
Main Tribes of Scarabaeinae
There are thousands of species of dung beetles distributed around the world and scientists have found it helpful to group them into categories called tribes. These tribes group beetles that have the same features, behaviours, and ways of life.
Here are some of the major dung beetle tribes and their special characteristics.
Coprini
The Coprini tribe is the heavy-lifting beetle of the dung beetle world. They are powerful, usually huge and great at excavating. You will generally see them burrowing under dung heaps and carrying pieces underground, so as to make nests out of them for their young ones. The Heliocopris genus is among the largest species, and they inhabit tropical regions of Africa and Asia.
Deltochilini
These are the dung beetles you have probably seen in documentaries, rolling little balls of dung on the ground. Deltochilini beetles are the masters of forming dung into balls and rolling the dung to a secure area and burying it to be used in future. They are particularly varied in the Americas, and genera like Canthon are fast and persistent.
Oniticellini
The Oniticellini tribe consists mainly of tunnelers. These beetles have a tendency to make shallow burrows under or next to dung heaps and keep the dung in the ground to breed. They tend to be smaller and are distributed in Africa, Asia, and some of Europe, unlike members of Coprini.
Sisyphini
Sisyphini beetles are medium to small in size and are also ball rollers. They are called after the Greek myth of Sisyphus. These dung beetles are prevalent in Africa and even in some regions in Asia and they are creatures known for pushing their dung balls across long distances with surprising strength and concentration.
Onthophagini
One of the largest and most widespread dung beetle tribes, Onthophagini contains the famous genus Onthophagus. This group is characterized by great diversity in species, many of which exhibit horned males and striking differences in male and female body forms. These beetles are very adaptive and inhabit a wide range of habitats across the globe.
Behavioral and Ecological Classification
Dung beetles are not only categorized based on appearance, they are based on their dung handling. Each type has its own unique way of turning waste into something useful.
- Rollers: These beetles shape dung into balls and roll them away to bury in soft soil. They lay eggs inside the balls, giving their young food and shelter right from the start.
- Tunnelers: Tunnelers prefer to dig tunnels under or around dung piles. Then they drag the dung underground. After that, they lay their eggs in these dung-filled tunnels, providing safe environments for their larvae to develop.
- Dwellers: Dwellers prefer to lay their eggs in the pile. So they hatch out and feed there too.
Wrap Up
Dung beetles are small but their role in nature is significant. With proper categorization, we can see how important and diverse their roles are. They have their way of keeping the planet clean and the soil healthy. By studying them, we are not just naming insects, we’re recognizing the quiet work they do every day to keep ecosystems running.