Melanocanthon
Halffter, 1958
Species Guides
4Melanocanthon is a of dung beetles in the Scarabaeidae, established by Halffter in 1958. The genus contains at least four described distributed in the Nearctic region. Unlike many scarabaeine dung beetles, at least one species (M. nigricornis) has been documented utilizing fungus and carrion rather than as primary food resources.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Melanocanthon: //ˌmɛlənoʊˈkænθɒn//
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Habitat
Sandy prairie have been documented for M. nigricornis in Wisconsin.
Distribution
Nearctic region. Documented in Wisconsin, USA for M. nigricornis.
Diet
M. nigricornis has been observed feeding on pieces of gill mushroom caps and mammalian carrion. This represents the first report of any Melanocanthon utilizing fungus and carrion.
Behavior
M. nigricornis has been observed breaking up, bundling, rolling away, and burying pieces of mushroom caps. The same has also been documented rolling and burying mammalian carrion.
More Details
Species diversity
Four described : Melanocanthon bispinatus (Robinson, 1941), M. granulifer (Schmidt, 1920), M. nigricornis (Say, 1823), and M. punctaticollis (Schaeffer, 1915).
Behavioral documentation
Feeding and burial documented for M. nigricornis represent the first such observations reported for any in the Melanocanthon.