Coprophanaeus ensifer

Coprophanaeus ensifer is a large South American species of beetle belonging to the family Scarabaeidae.[2]

Coprophanaeus ensifer
Coprophanaeus ensifer in Pernambuco, Brazil
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Coleoptera
Suborder:
Polyphaga
Infraorder:
Scarabeiformia
Superfamily:
Scarabaeoidea
Family:
Scarabaeidae
Genus:
Coprophanaeus
Species:
C. ensifer
Binomial name
Coprophanaeus ensifer
(Germar, 1821)
Synonyms
  • Copris ensifer Germar, 1821
  • Megaphanaeus ensifer Germar, 1821
  • Phanaeus ajax Sturm, 1826
  • Phanaeus ducalis Castelnau, 1840

[1]

Distribution and habitat

This species is found widely in eastern, central and southern Brazil, far northeastern Argentina, eastern Bolivia and Paraguay, occurring up to about 780 m (2,560 ft) above sea level.[2][3][4][5] Most of its range is in the Caatinga, Cerrado and similar habitats, but in some regions its range also extends into the Atlantic forest and the Amazon rainforest.[2][4]

Description

Adults typically are 30–56 mm (1.2–2.2 in) long,[2] occasionally even reaching 65 mm (2.6 in).[6] This makes C. ensifer and the closely related Amazonian C. lancifer some of the largest dung beetles in the world (together with certain Catharsius and Heliocopris) and the largest in the Americas.[2][3][4] This beetle has a horn on the head that is of similar size in males and females. It is usually dark metallic green, often with some blue reflections, but it can occasionally be all metallic blue.[3][4][7]

  • Male
    Male
  • Female
    Female

Behavior

Although part of the true dung beetle subfamily Scarabaeinae, C. ensifer is necrophagous and will feed on the carcasses of a wide range of animals.[2] Males may fight other males for females or access to food, whereas females will defend their burrow from either sex.[2]

References
  1. Biolib
  2. Edmonds, W.D.; Zidek, J. (2010). "A taxonomic review of the Neotropical genus Coprophanaeus Olsoufieff, 1924 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae, Scarabaeinae)". Insecta Mundi. 0129: 1–111.
  3. Maldaner, M.E.; Vaz-de-Mello, F.Z.; Takiya, D.M.; Ferreira, D.C. (2008). "Molecular Phylogeny of Coprophanaeus (Megaphanaeus) d'Olsoufieff, 1924 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) and the position of C. bellicosus". Insect Systematics & Evolution. 51 (5): 241–255. doi:10.1163/1876312X-00002198.
  4. Maldaner, M.E.; Vaz-de-Mello, F.Z.; Takiya, D.M.; Ferreira, D.C. (2019). "Genetic and chromatic variation of Coprophanaeus (Megaphanaeus) ensifer (Germar, 1821) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)". Zoologischer Anzeiger. 283: 150–160. doi:10.1016/j.jcz.2019.09.001.
  5. Scarabaeinae
  6. Schmidt, U. "Coprophanaeus ensifer". Kaefer der Welt - Beetles of the World. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
  7. Endres, Ana Aline; Hernandez, Malva Isabel Medina and Creao-Duarte, Antônio José (2005). Notes about Coprophanaeus ensifer (Germar) (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae) in a remnant of the Atlantic Forest in the State of Paraíba, Brazil. Revista Brasileira de Entomologia 49(3): 427-429.
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