Aphodiine
Guides
Acrossus rubripennis
Acrossus rubripennis is a species of dung beetle in the family Scarabaeidae, subfamily Aphodiinae. It is distributed across eastern North America, with records from Canada (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Quebec) and the United States (Maryland, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Wisconsin). The species is characterized by its reddish wing covers (elytra), as indicated by the specific epithet "rubripennis" meaning "red-winged."
Aegialia
Aegialia is a genus of aphodiine dung beetles in the family Scarabaeidae, established by Latreille in 1807. Species in this genus are distributed across the Palaearctic, Nearctic, and Neotropical regions. The genus includes the subgenus Silluvia, with several species described from the Sino-Tibetan mountains of China.
Aegialia blanchardi
Aegialia blanchardi is a small aphodiine dung beetle described by Horn in 1887. It occurs across North America from the Pacific coast to the Atlantic seaboard, with records spanning Canada and the United States. The species is a member of the subfamily Aegialiinae, a group associated with sandy coastal and riparian habitats.
Aidophus parcus
Aidophus parcus is a small aphodiine dung beetle described by Horn in 1887. It is one of the few species in the genus Aidophus, a group of dung beetles in the family Scarabaeidae. The species is distributed across a broad swathe of central and eastern North America, with records from the Great Plains to the Atlantic seaboard. As an aphodiine, it is likely associated with dung decomposition, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented.
Alloblackburneus geomysi
Alloblackburneus geomysi is a small dung beetle in the family Scarabaeidae, subfamily Aphodiinae. It has been recorded from the southeastern United States, specifically Alabama, Florida, and Georgia. The species epithet 'geomysi' suggests an association with pocket gophers (genus Geomys). Like other members of the genus Alloblackburneus, it is likely associated with rodent burrows or their waste products. Very few observations exist, with only two records in iNaturalist.
Alloblackburneus lentus
Alloblackburneus lentus is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae, subfamily Aphodiinae. Originally described as Aphodius lentus by Horn in 1870, it was later transferred to the genus Alloblackburneus. The species occurs in eastern and central North America, with records from the United States and Canada. As a member of the Aphodiinae, it belongs to a group commonly known as small dung beetles or aphodiine dung beetles, though specific ecological details for this species remain undocumented.
Annegialia
Annegialia is a genus of aphodiine dung beetles established by Howden in 1971. The genus contains a single described species, A. ataeniformis. It belongs to the tribe Eupariini within the subfamily Aphodiinae of Scarabaeidae.
Ataenius abditus
Ataenius abditus is a small aphodiine dung beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. It is found across eastern and central North America, with records extending from Canada through the United States to Mexico. The species belongs to a genus of primarily dung-associated scarabs, though specific ecological details for this species remain limited in published literature.
Ataenius alternatus
Ataenius alternatus is a small aphodiine dung beetle in the family Scarabaeidae, first described by Melsheimer in 1845. The species occurs across the southeastern United States and into Mexico. Like other members of the genus Ataenius, it is associated with decomposing organic matter and soil habitats. It is one of numerous Ataenius species found in North American turfgrass and agricultural systems.
Ataenius carinator
Ataenius carinator is an aphodiine dung beetle in the family Scarabaeidae, described by Harold in 1874. It is distributed across the Neotropical region, including the Caribbean, Central America, North America, and South America. The species belongs to a genus commonly associated with dung and decaying organic matter habitats. Limited specific ecological data exists for this species.
Ataenius fattigi
Ataenius fattigi is a species of aphodiine dung beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. It is found in North America, with records from the eastern and central United States. The species was described by Cartwright in 1948. Like other members of the genus Ataenius, it is associated with decomposing organic matter.
Ataenius hesperius
Ataenius hesperius is a species of aphodiine dung beetle described by Cartwright in 1974. It belongs to the family Scarabaeidae and is native to western North America. The species is closely related to Ataenius texanus but occupies more westerly distributions.
Ataenius imbricatus
Ataenius imbricatus is a small aphodiine dung beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. First described by Melsheimer in 1845 (originally as Aphodius imbricatus), this species exhibits a broad geographic distribution spanning the Nearctic and Neotropical regions. It is one of numerous species in the diverse genus Ataenius, which comprises small scarab beetles often associated with decomposing organic matter.
Ataenius inquisitus
Ataenius inquisitus is a species of aphodiine dung beetle described by Horn in 1887. It belongs to a genus whose members are generally associated with decomposing organic matter and soil habitats. The species has been recorded from the southwestern United States and several Mexican states.
Ataenius ovatulus
Ataenius ovatulus is a small aphodiine dung beetle described by Horn in 1871. It is native to the eastern and central United States, where it inhabits grassland and turfgrass environments. The species is part of a genus whose members are frequently associated with soil and thatch layers in managed grass systems.
Ataenius picinus
Pitchy Scarab
Ataenius picinus, known as the pitchy scarab, is a small aphodiine dung beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. The species has a remarkably broad geographic distribution spanning multiple continents including North America, Central America, South America, Australia, and various Pacific islands. As a member of the Aphodiinae subfamily, it belongs to a group commonly referred to as small dung beetles or aphodiines, which typically inhabit decomposing organic matter. The specific epithet "picinus" refers to its pitch-black or dark coloration.
Ataenius stephani
Ataenius stephani is a small dung beetle species in the family Scarabaeidae, described by Cartwright in 1974. It belongs to the aphodiine subfamily, a group commonly associated with decomposing organic matter. The species has been documented in the southwestern United States and western Mexico.
Cephalocyclus
Cephalocyclus is a genus of scarab beetles in the family Scarabaeidae, subfamily Aphodiinae. The genus was established in 1998 and is known from the Mexican Transition zone within the Neotropical region. As an aphodiine dung beetle genus, its members likely participate in dung decomposition processes, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented.
Cinacanthus coquilletti
Cinacanthus coquilletti is a small dung beetle species in the family Scarabaeidae, subfamily Aphodiinae. It occurs in the southwestern United States, specifically in Arizona, California, and Nevada. The species was described by Linell in 1896 and belongs to a genus of aphodiine scarabs.
Cryptoscatomaseter paulseni
Cryptoscatomaseter paulseni is a species of scarab beetle in the subfamily Aphodiinae, first described from specimens collected in Kansas and Nebraska. It belongs to a genus of small dung beetles whose members are poorly documented in the scientific literature. The species is known only from a limited number of records in the central Great Plains region of the United States.
Dellacasiellus concavus
Dellacasiellus concavus is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae, subfamily Aphodiinae. It was described by Say in 1823. This species belongs to a group of beetles commonly known as aphodiine dung beetles, though specific ecological details for this particular species remain limited in available sources.
Dialytellus
Dialytellus is a genus of aphodiine dung beetles in the family Scarabaeidae, established by Brown in 1929. The genus comprises at least three described species distributed in the Nearctic region. As members of the Aphodiinae subfamily, these beetles are associated with dung decomposition. The genus is relatively small and understudied, with limited ecological data available.
Dialytes striatulus
Dialytes striatulus is a small aphodiine dung beetle described by Thomas Say in 1825. As a member of the Aphodiinae subfamily, it is associated with dung habitats and contributes to nutrient cycling. The species is documented across eastern and central North America, with records spanning from southeastern Canada to the eastern and central United States.
Euparia castanea
Euparia castanea is an aphodiine dung beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. The species is distributed across Central America and North America, with records from Mexico through Central America to Florida and Texas in the United States. As a member of the tribe Eupariini, it belongs to a group of scarab beetles often associated with ant colonies.
Eupariini
eupariine dung beetles, small dung beetles
Eupariini is a diverse tribe of small dung beetles in the subfamily Aphodiinae (Scarabaeidae). The tribe comprises over 40 genera and approximately 640 described species globally, with exceptional diversity in the Neotropics where around 28 genera and 333 species occur. Members are smaller than their sister lineage Scarabaeinae. The tribe has a broad geographic distribution spanning the Australian, Oriental, and Neotropical zoogeographical regions, with fossil representatives known from Eocene Baltic amber.
Flaviellus
Flaviellus is a genus of scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae) in the subfamily Aphodiinae, described by Gordon and Skelley in 2007. It belongs to the tribe Aphodiini and subtribe Aphodiina. As a relatively recently described genus, it is part of the diverse group of dung beetles and their relatives within the scarab superfamily Scarabaeoidea. The genus is recognized as valid and accepted in current taxonomic databases.
Neopsammodius quinqueplicatus
Neopsammodius quinqueplicatus is a species of aphodiine dung beetle described by Horn in 1871. It belongs to the family Scarabaeidae and is part of the Psammodiini tribe, which comprises beetles often associated with sandy habitats. The species occurs in both Nearctic and Neotropical regions.
Oscarinus texensis
Oscarinus texensis is a dung beetle species in the family Scarabaeidae, first described by Cartwright in 1972. The species is endemic to Texas, USA, and belongs to a genus known for its ecological role in cattle farming systems. Like other members of Oscarinus, this species is associated with bovine dung and contributes to nutrient cycling in agricultural landscapes.
Oxyomus
Oxyomus is a genus of aphodiine dung beetles established by Dejean in 1833. The genus comprises approximately 25 described species distributed across Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America. Members of this genus are classified within the subfamily Aphodiinae, a group commonly known as lesser dung beetles.
Oxyomus sylvestris
Oxyomus sylvestris is an aphodiine dung beetle in the family 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 dung.
Parataenius simulator
Parataenius simulator is a small aphodiine dung beetle native to South America that has established an exceptionally broad global distribution spanning six biogeographic realms. First described by Harold in 1868, this species has been recorded across the Americas, Africa, Europe, Australia, and the Caribbean. In 2024, it was reported for the first time on Rapa Nui (Easter Island), Chile, where adult specimens were intercepted at Mataveri International Airport; no self-sustaining populations have been confirmed elsewhere on the island. The mechanism and timing of its worldwide dispersal remain subjects of investigation.
Pardalosus
Pardalosus is a genus of aphodiine dung beetles described by Gordon & Skelley in 2007. The genus is native to North America, with highest species diversity in western regions. Unlike many aphodiine beetles, most Pardalosus species appear to be detritivores with weak dung associations, though some species have documented relationships with rodents.
Psammodius basalis
Psammodius basalis is a small aphodiine dung beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. The species is native to the Palaearctic region and has been introduced to North America, where it is established in Maryland. As a member of the subfamily Aphodiinae, it belongs to a group commonly known as small dung beetles or aphodiines that are associated with decomposing organic matter. The genus Psammodius is distinguished by adaptations to sandy habitats.
Pseudataenius
Pseudataenius is a genus of aphodiine dung beetles in the family Scarabaeidae, established by Brown in 1927. The genus contains at least three described species: P. contortus, P. gracilitarsis, and P. socialis. Members of this genus are classified within the tribe Eupariini, a group of small to medium-sized scarab beetles often associated with dung and decaying organic matter.
Pseudataenius socialis
Pseudataenius socialis is a species of aphodiine dung beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. It is known from scattered records across the central and southeastern United States. The species was described by Horn in 1871 and is placed in the tribe Eupariini within the subfamily Aphodiinae.
dung-beetleScarabaeidaeAphodiinaeNorth-AmericaColeopteraEupariiniPseudataeniusUnited-StatesKansasLouisianaNebraskaOklahomaSouth-CarolinaTexasHorn-1871Nearcticendogeicsaprophagoussoil-dwellingscarab-beetlebeetleinsectarthropodanimaleukaryotehexapodpolyphagous-beetlestaphyliniformiascarabaeoideaaphodiineaphodiine-dung-beetlescarabscarabaeidscarabaeoidscarabaeoideanstaphyliniformpolyphaganRugaphodius
Rugaphodius is a genus of scarab beetles in the family Scarabaeidae, subfamily Aphodiinae. It was described by Gordon and Skelley in 2007. The genus belongs to the tribe Aphodiini, a group commonly known as small dung beetles or aphodiine dung beetles. Very limited information is available about this genus, with only one observation recorded in iNaturalist as of the source data.
Xeropsamobeus asellus
Xeropsamobeus asellus is a small aphodiine dung beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. The species was described in 1907 and has been recorded from the United States and Mexico, with some sources suggesting it may be endemic to Texas. As a member of the subfamily Aphodiinae, it belongs to a group commonly known as lesser dung beetles. Very few observations of this species have been documented.