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How to tell if your
beetle is a dung
beetle
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Glossary
The importance of
Dung Beetles
Acknowledgements
Aulocopris maximus
Distribution
From Barrington Tops in northern New South Wales to Eumundi near the Blackall Range, south Queensland, generally in montane forest.
Description
Total length 22-30mm.
Head: Surface flat. Edges of clypeal margin quite straight outside teeth, which are very small. Dorsal part of eye wide, its width contained about 8 times in interocular distance.
Prothorax: Pronotal longitudinal keels low but distinct. Surfaces shagreened, the punctures indistinct.
Elytra: Surfaces shagreened, tubercles shiny. Disc feebly convex, intervals flat. Interval 1 with a row of 12-15 small tubercles. Intervals 3, 5 & 7 with 6-12 larger tubercles, all with a brush of short setae on posterior face. Even-numbered intervals with flat surfaces. Striae indistinct.
Legs: Outer edge of fore tibiae feebly sinuate, with 2 very small teeth near apex, inner edge with very large rounded excision on basal half, the excision bounded by inward-pointing teeth. Ventral keel of fore tibiae strongly toothed, expanded near base. Hind femur with prominent angular expansion of hind edge near base. Inner edge of hind tibiae prominently tuberculate.
Sexual dimorphism
Female: Fore tibiae with 3 teeth on the outer edge. Hind femur with angular expansion of hind edge, but less prominent than in male.
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.
Williams, G. A. & Williams, T. (1983c) A survey of the Aphodiinae, Hybosorinae and Scarabaeinae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) from small wet forests of coastal New South Wales. Part 4: Lansdowne State Forest. Vict. Nat. 100: 146-154.
Copyright © Australian Museum 2016
Authors: Rebecca Harris & Dr. Chris Reid