Pachylomera femoralis

Pachylomera femoralis is a species of blackish gray dung beetle from the family Scarabaeidae,[2] which is widespread in the woodland and savannah regions of Africa south of the equator.

Flattenened giant dung beetle
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Scarabaeidae
Subfamily: Scarabaeinae
Tribe: Scarabaeini
Genus: Pachylomera
Species:
P. femoralis
Binomial name
Pachylomera femoralis
Kirby, 1828
Synonyms[1]
  • Ateuchus horridus Boheman, 1857
  • Pachylomerus femoralis Kirby, 1828

Range

It has been recorded in the Tanzania, DRC, Mozambique, Angola, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana and South Africa.[3]

Biology
Male in elephant dung, showing rufous velvet patch on front leg.

It is the largest flying, ball-rolling dung beetle in the world. The front legs, that it walks on while rolling the dung ball, are particularly strong. It specializes to some extent on buffalo and elephant dung and constructs a large ball, with the flattened leg appendages. The front legs have a rufous velvet patch each, that are used to wipe the eyes clean. The eyes are oriented to provide a good downward view while flying. The dung ball is rolled away from their con-specific competitors and buried in the ground. The male forms the dung ball for breeding, and a female will approach and assist in rolling a dung ball which is to her liking.[4]

References
  1. "Pachylomera femoralis Kirby, 1828". Retrieved August 3, 2013.
  2. "Pachylomera femoralis Kirby, 1828". Biolib.cz. Retrieved August 3, 2013.
  3. Pachylomerus femoralis, Zipcode Zoo
  4. Erik Holm, Projek Aardwolf, Episode 30
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