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beetle is a dung
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The importance of
Dung Beetles
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Demarziella metallica
Distribution
Extreme north-eastern New South Wales and southern Queensland in forest.
Description
Total length 3.0-3.8mm. Dark brown with a strong metallic green or bronze reflections.
Head: Dorsal surface flat, moderately densely and coarsely punctate, with sparse setae.
Pronotum: With moderately dense coarse punctures, becoming small and sparse on middle of disc, only slightly elongated in depressions. Depressions and elevations not pronounced, elevations shiny. A few coarse bristles.
Pterothorax: Median lobe of metasternum with only a faint keel, posterior depression absent.
Elytra: Intervals shiny, similar in width, 3rd interval with 3 or 4 low tubercles. Odd-numbered intervals with widely space erect bristles. Elytral striae parallel and straight-sided, becoming undulate posteriorly. 7th striae entirely feebly undulate.
Legs: Inner apical angle of fore tibiae produced and acute, but not forming separate process. Outer teeth prominent.
Abdomen: Pygidium angularly convex, with coarse transverse punctures except on apex of concavity, the basal groove not widened.
Sexual dimorphism
Female: Inner apical angle of fore tibiae more rounded. Pygidium less convex.
References
Matthews, E.G. (1976) A revision of the Scarabaeine dung beetles of Australia. III. Tribe Coprini. Aust. J. Zool. Suppl. Ser. 38: 1-52
Matthews, E. G. & Stebnicka, Z. (1986) A review of Demarziella Balthasar, with a transfer from Aphodiinae to Scarabaeinae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) Aust. J. Zool. 34: 449-461
Copyright © Australian Museum 2016
Authors: Rebecca Harris & Dr. Chris Reid