Germarostes

Paulian, 1982

pill scarab beetles

Germarostes is a of pill in the , established by Paulian in 1982. The genus contains at least 70 described , making it one of the more diverse genera within its family. Members are found primarily in the Neotropical and Nearctic regions. Pill scarab beetles derive their from their ability to conglobate, or roll into a ball shape.

Germarostes globosus by (c) Cole Shoemaker, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Cole Shoemaker. Used under a CC-BY license.

Germarostes by (c) Cole Shoemaker, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Cole Shoemaker. Used under a CC-BY license.

Germarostes by (c) Trevor Van Loon, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Trevor Van Loon. Used under a CC-BY license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Germarostes: //d͡ʒɛrˈmɑroʊstɪz//

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Images

Distribution

Neotropical and Nearctic regions, with distribution records spanning from the southern United States through Central America and into South America.

Behavior

Members of this , like other pill , are capable of conglobation—rolling into a compact ball shape. This defensive protects the vulnerable surfaces and appendages.

More Details

Taxonomic History

The was erected by Paulian in 1982. It is classified in the Ceratocanthinae and tribe Ceratocanthini within .

Species Diversity

With at least 70 described , Germarostes represents substantial diversity within the . The exact number of species may vary as taxonomic revisions continue.