Canthonini

Canthonini
Canthon smaragdulus Fabricius, 1781
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Scarabaeidae
Subfamily: Scarabaeinae
Tribe: Canthonini
Péringuey, 1900

Canthonini (or Deltochilini) is a tribe of scarab beetles, in the dung beetle subfamily (Scarabaeinae). Members of this group vary widely in size (2-33 mm long) and shape, but were thought to be derived from an ancient ball-rolling lineage. The outer edges of the front tibiae have less than four teeth. The grouping based on these characteristics has, however, been found to have little phylogenetic validity, and the placement of several genera in the Canthonini, the Dichotomiini and the Coprini is likely to change.[1]

Taxonomy

This tribe comprises about 800 species in 120 genera:[1] They constitute a high proportion of the dung beetle diversity in many parts of the world; more than 35% of the genera in the Americas, Australia, Madagascar and many islands. However, in the Afro-Eurasian regions, they make up less than 20% of the genera.[1]

Ecology

Most species are coprophagous, but some feed on carrion, others on fungi, and the smaller species may utilize leaf litter (saprophagous). They are largely diurnal.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Scholtz, Clarke H.; Davis, Adrian L. V.; Kryger, Ute (2009). Evolutionary biology and conservation of dung beetles. Sofia-Moscow: Pensoft Pub. ISBN 9789546425171.
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