Scarabaeidae
| Scarab beetle | |
|---|---|
| File:Reitter-1908 table74.jpg | |
| Central European scarab beetles with some anatomical details. Edmund Reitter's Fauna Germanica, 1908 | |
| Scientific classification e | |
| Missing taxonomy template (fix): | Scarabaeidae |
| Subfamilies[1][2][3] | |
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The family Scarabaeidae, as currently defined, consists of over 35,000 species of beetles worldwide; they are often called scarabs or scarab beetles. The classification of this family has undergone significant change. Several groups formerly treated as subfamilies have been elevated to family rank (e.g., Bolboceratidae, Geotrupidae, Glaresidae, Glaphyridae, Hybosoridae, Ochodaeidae, and Pleocomidae), and some reduced to lower ranks. The subfamilies listed in this article are in accordance with those in Catalogue of Life (2023).[3]
Description
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Scarabs are stout-bodied beetles; most are brown or black in colour, but many, generally species that are diurnally active, have bright metallic colours, measuring between 1.5 and 160 mm (0.059 and 6.3 in). The antennae of most species superficially seem to be knobbed (capitated), but the several segments comprising the head of the antenna are, as a rule, lamellate; they extend laterally into plates called lamellae that they usually keep compressed into a ball. Then, when following a scent, such a beetle fans the lamellae out like leaves to sense odours.
Many species are fossorial, with legs adapted for digging. In some groups, males (and sometimes females) have prominent horns on the head and/or pronotum to fight over mates or resources.[4] The largest fossil scarabaeid was Oryctoantiquus borealis with a length of 50 mm (2.0 in).[5]
The C-shaped larvae, called grubs, are pale yellow or white. Most adult beetles are nocturnal, although the flower chafers (Cetoniinae) and many leaf chafers (Rutelinae) are diurnal. The grubs mostly live underground or under debris, so are not exposed to sunlight. Many scarabs are scavengers that recycle dung, carrion, or decaying plant material.[6] Others, such as the Japanese beetle, are plant-eaters, wreaking havoc on various crops and vegetation.
Some of the well-known beetles from the Scarabaeidae are Japanese beetles, dung beetles, June beetles, rose chafers (Australian, European, and North American), rhinoceros beetles, Hercules beetles, and Goliath beetles.
Several members of this family have structurally coloured shells which act as left-handed circular polarizers; this was the first-discovered example of circular polarization in nature.[7]
Ancient Egypt
[edit | edit source]In Ancient Egypt, the dung beetle now known as Scarabaeus sacer (formerly Ateuchus sacer) was revered as sacred.[8] Egyptian amulets representing the sacred scarab beetles were traded throughout the Mediterranean world.[4]
See also
[edit | edit source]- Dung beetle – Scarabaeidae dung beetles play an important role in temperate and tropical environments
- List of Scarabaeidae genera
- List of Scarabaeidae subfamilies and tribes
- Scarab artifact
References
[edit | edit source]- ↑ Bouchard, Patrice; Bousquet, Yves; Davies, Anthony E.; Alonso-Zarazaga, Miguel A.; et al. (2011). "Family-group names in Coleoptera (Insecta)". ZooKeys (88): 1–972. Bibcode:2011ZooK...88....1B. doi:10.3897/zookeys.88.807. ISSN 1313-2989. PMC 3088472. PMID 21594053.
- ↑ Dietz, Lars; Seidel, Matthias; Eberle, Jonas; Misof, Bernhard; et al. (2023). "A transcriptome-based phylogeny of Scarabaeoidea confirms the sister group relationship of dung beetles and phytophagous pleurostict scarabs (Coleoptera)". Systematic Entomology. 48 (4): 672–686. Bibcode:2023SysEn..48..672D. doi:10.1111/syen.12602.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Scarabaeidae Latreille, 1802". Catalogue of Life. Retrieved 2023-09-22.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 bugguide.net Family Scarabaeidae - Scarab Beetles
- ↑ Brett Ratcliffe, Dena M. Smith, Diane Marie Erwin. "Oryctoantiquus borealis, New Genus and Species from the Eocene of Oregon, U.S.A., the World's Oldest Fossil Dynastine and Largest Fossil Scarabaeid (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae)". 2009. The Coleopterists Bulletin 59(Mar 2005):127-135 DOI:10.1649/0010-065X(2005)059[0127:OBNGAS]2.0.CO;2
- ↑ Marcos Paulo Gomes Gonçalves (2017). "Relação Entre Tempo e Besouros em Mata de Cocal" [Relationship Between Meteorological Conditions and Beetles in Mata de Cocal]. Revista Brasileira de Meteorologia (in Portuguese). 32 (4): 543–554. doi:10.1590/0102-7786324003.
- ↑ A. A. Michelson (1911). "On metallic colourings in birds and insects". Philosophical Magazine. 21 (124): 554–567. doi:10.1080/14786440408637061.
- ↑ Netzley, Patricia D. (2009-06-25). Ancient Egypt. Greenhaven Publishing LLC. p. 260. ISBN 978-0-7377-4634-1.
The scarab (Scarabaeus sacer) is a species of dung beetle that was considered sacred by the ancient Egyptians. In particular, the insect symbolized rebirth and was commonly associated with solar gods of creation, such as Khepri and Re.
Further reading
[edit | edit source]- RU Ehlers. Current and Future Use of Nematodes in Biocontrol: Practice and Commercial Aspects with Regard to Regulatory Policy Issues. Biocontrol Science and Technology Volume 6, Issue 3, 1996.
External links
[edit | edit source]- Flickr Images on Flickr
- Scarabaeidae breeding site Photos of various Cetonidae, Dynastidae, Euchiridae, Lucanidae and Trichinae]
- Family SCARABAEIDAE
- June Beetles, Family: Scarabaeidae - Diagnostic photographs
- Bibliography of literature published on scarab beetles since 1 January 2001 (worldwide coverage; through 2005)
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