Home
How to use the Keys
How to tell if your
beetle is a dung
beetle
References
Glossary
The importance of
Dung Beetles
Acknowledgements
Cephalodesmius laticollis
Distribution
Extreme northern New South Wales and south-east Queensland. In closed forest.
Description
Total length 13-19mm (including clypeal teeth). Colour uniformly black, surfaces matt.
Head: 4 clypeal teeth, the middle two very long, sharply upturned with rounded tips, parallel or slightly divergent, widely separated at base by a U-shaped space. Lateral pair short, acute, separated from middle pair by a U-shaped space. Dorsal parts of eyes moderately large, slightly longer than wide. Surfaces matt, densely covered in small round or oval punctures.
Prothorax: Distinctly wider than hind body. Anterior lateral edges strongly expanded, rounded. Pronotum strongly convex, surface densely covered in small, raised, oval-shaped punctures bearing very short setae (usually worn off).
Elytra: Hind body distinctly narrower than prothorax. Disc nearly flat. Striae indistinct, impunctate. Intervals flat, very dull, with edges lined with very small setae.
Hind wings: Reduced to vestiges about half as long as abdomen.
Legs: Fore tibiae with extra tooth on distal edge.
Abdomen: Pygidium matt, with numerous indistinct, finely raised oval punctures bearing very short setae.
Sexual dimorphism
Female: Middle clypeal teeth expanded basally leaving only a narrow notch between them. Clypeal surface shiny. Shiny areas ventrally on reflexed part of pronotum, last abdominal sternite and femora.
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