Oxyomus sylvestris
(Scopoli, 1763)
Oxyomus sylvestris is an aphodiine dung beetle in the Scarabaeidae. It is distributed across Europe, the Near East, North Africa, and has been introduced to North America. Unlike many scarabaeid dung beetles, it is saprophagous, feeding on decaying organic matter rather than fresh .
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Oxyomus sylvestris: /ˌɒksiˈoʊməs sɪlˈvɛstrɪs/
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Images
Distribution
Native to the Palaearctic region, occurring across Europe from the British Isles and Scandinavia south to the Mediterranean, east through the Caucasus and Middle East to Iran. Introduced to North America, with records from British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Quebec, Saskatchewan in Canada, and the northeastern and Pacific Northwest states of the USA.
Diet
Saprophagous, feeding on decaying organic matter rather than fresh . This distinguishes it from 'true' dung beetles.
Ecological Role
Contributes to decomposition and nutrient cycling through saprophagy.
Sources and further reading
- BugGuide
- Wikipedia
- GBIF taxonomy match
- iNaturalist taxon
- NCBI Taxonomy
- Catalogue of Life
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