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beetle is a dung
beetle
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The importance of
Dung Beetles
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Amphistomus speculifer
Distribution
The entire coast of New South Wales and areas bordering Queensland. In tall open forest and closed forest, particularly on mountain slopes.
Description
Total length 6.5-9.0mm. Colour dark brown.
Head: Dorsal parts of eyes normal.
Prothorax: Surface covered with shallow umbilical punctures bearing setae. A large smooth, shiny area on each side with prominent longitudinal ridges between.
Elytra: 1st elytral interval with 9-11 small tubercles, 3rd interval with 3-4 tubercles and intervals 5 and 7 with 2 tubercles. Surfaces shagreened, except for a shiny patch anteriorly on interval 3. Pseudepipleura without tubercles. Striae with very large, closely spaced, shallow punctures with obvious margins.
Hind wings: Fully developed.
Sterna: Mesosternum with raised midline. Mesometasternal suture strongly keeled. Base of metasternum with 3 shallow depressions in a transverse row. Ventral surfaces with very large shallow punctures bearing short setae.
Legs: Hind trochanters normal. Hind femora with strong tooth near apex. Hind edge of middle femur not serrate. Hind tibiae not strongly bowed. 1st segment of hind tarsus equal in length to 2nd and 3rd combined.
Abdomen: Last sternite with 2 small tubercles. Pygidium densely punctate, with 1 prominent tubercle at apex of disc and 2 in a transverse row medially .
Sexual dimorphism
Female: Clypeal teeth more prominent. May have an extra, small tubercle on front of head. Hind legs unmodified. Elytral interval with up to 13 tubercles. Abdominal sternites longer.
References
Matthews, E.G. (1974) A revision of the Scarabaeine dung beetles of Australia. II. Tribe Scarabaeini. Aust. J. Zool. Suppl. Ser. 24: 1-211.
Copyright © Australian Museum 2016
Authors: Rebecca Harris & Dr. Chris Reid