Onthophagus taurus
| Onthophagus taurus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Male (left) and female (right) | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Family: | Scarabaeidae |
| Subfamily: | Scarabaeinae |
| Genus: | Onthophagus |
| Species: | O. taurus |
| Binomial name | |
| Onthophagus taurus (Schreber, 1759) | |
The taurus scarab (Onthophagus taurus) is a species of dung beetle in the genus Onthophagus.
Dung beetles have been utilized in the breakdown of manure on sheep and dairy farms worldwide.[1] In September 2013 O. taurus was released for the first time in New Zealand, in the Gore District of Southland.[2] These beetles pull the manure into the ground to create their brood balls, which they use as egg chambers. This increases grazing space for cattle, reduces habitats for flies and bacteria, and reduces the need for chemical fertilizers.[3] It can pull a weight of 1141 times his own body mass.
References
- ↑ Losey, John E.; Vaughan, Mace (2006). "The economic value of ecological services provided by insects". BioScience 56 (4). pp. 311–323.
- ↑ http://dungbeetle.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/FedFarmerPressRelease260913.pdf
- ↑ Nelson, Frank (October 21, 2011). "New Zealand imports foreign workers: dung beetles". Pacific Standard. Retrieved December 27, 2012.