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Onthophagus muticus
Distribution
From northern NSW to Port Hedland, Western Australia, and northwards. In open sclerophyll forests and savannah woodlands. This species clings to the fur of wallabies and goats with its prehensile claws.
Description
Total length 6-9mm. Reddish-black to black, antennal clubs reddish-yellow.
Head:Frons and vertex unarmed, flat. Margin evenly rounded, slightly straightened medially, reflexed. Frontal section of clypeal suture entirely effaced. Eyes large, separated by about 7 widths. Densely covered with very small punctures, edges of head wrinkled, surface finely shagreened, alutaceous, glabrous.
Pronotum: Moderately convex, unsculptured. Anterior angles subacute, the points rounded. Sides not strongly convex. Hind edge not margined. Densely covered with extremely fine punctures, glabrous, surface shiny on disc.
Elytra: Intervals flat, very finely punctate, glabrous. Striae very shallow, with indistinct shallow punctures slightly wider than stria, but not crenulating edges of intervals.
Metasternum: Posterior part of middle glabrous.
Legs: Fore tibiae unmodified. Spur acute, curved out. Claws moderately prehensile.
Abdomen: Pygidium shagreened, with numerous small shallow punctures, glabrous.
Sexual dimorphism
Female: Clypeal surface more strongly wrinkled, frontoclypeal suture fully keeled.
References
Matthews, E. G. (1972) A revision of the Scarabaeine Dung Beetles of Australia. I. Tribe Onthophagini. Aus. J. Zool. Suppl. Ser. 9: 1-330.
Storey, R. I. & Weir, T. A. (1988) New localities and biological notes for the genus Onthophagus Latreille (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) in Australia. Aust. ent. Mag. 15: 17-24
Copyright © Australian Museum 2016
Authors: Rebecca Harris & Dr. Chris Reid