Scarabaeinae (Dung Beetles)Euoniticellus pallipes (Southern Sandy Dung Beetle) Onthophagus dandalu (Dung Beetle) Onthophagus declivis (Dung Beetle) Onthophagus ferox (Western Dung Beetle)
Onthophagus dandalu is an Australian species of dung beetle in the genus Onthophagus, subfamily Scarabaeinae, member of the Scarab family.
Like most of the Australian native dung beetles, they usually deal with the droppings of native animals such as our native marsupials. The dung droppings are used as food capsules and are buried in the soil where the female will lay their eggs.
The dung is broken up and then buried. Some species make small round balls of the dung, and then roll them to the underground chambers, whilst others will just bury the dung. It is the male of the species that transport the balls of dung.
Australian dung beetle are about 6-12 mm in length
The Onthophagus dandalu in the following series of photographs was in Roma, Queensland.
This specimen of Dung Beetle (Onthophagus dandalu) was photographed in Ballandean in the Southern Downs region in Queensland.
- Scientific classification
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Arthropoda
- Subphylum: Hexapoda
- Class: Insecta
- Informal: Pterygotes
- Order: Coleoptera
- Suborder: Polyphaga
- Superfamily: Scarabaeoidea
- Family: Scarabaeidae
- Subfamily: Scarabaeinae
- Tribe: Onthophagini
- Genus: Onthophagus
- Species: Onthophagus dandalu
Footnote & References
- Onthophagus dandalu © Di Bickers
- Onthophagus dandalu © Marc Newman, Flickr
- Dung beetles in Australia, National Museum Australia, https://www.nma.gov.au/defining-moments/resources/dung-beetles-in-australia
- Onthophagus dandalu Matthews, 1972, Atlas of Living Australia, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/https://biodiversity.org.au/afd/taxa/1759a727-8193-4443-a991-4553189e3110
- Onthophagus Latreille, 1802, Atlas of Living Australia, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/https://biodiversity.org.au/afd/taxa/fb78b27a-c3f7-4cd3-bb21-c39af8968d1d
Scarabaeinae (Dung Beetles)Euoniticellus pallipes (Southern Sandy Dung Beetle) Onthophagus dandalu (Dung Beetle) Onthophagus declivis (Dung Beetle) Onthophagus ferox (Western Dung Beetle)
ScarabaeidaeScarabaeinae (Dung Beetles)
ColeopteraAmarygmus sp Anoplognathus sp Aphanestes gymnopleura Buprestidae Cerambycidae Coleoptera (Beetles) Curculionidae Digitonthophagus gazella Dung Beetle Eretes australis Helea scaphiformis Johannica gemellata (Pandorea Leaf Beetle) Ladybirds (Beetles) Lepidiota Lucanidae Neospades sp Lycidae Omorgus Paropsine Beetle Paropsisterna sp Pittosporum Leaf Beetle (Lamprolina impressicollis) Protaetia fusca Pterohelaeus sp Rhipiceridae Scarabaeidae Xylophilostenus octophyllus
InsectsBees Beetles Blattodea Butterflies Coleoptera Cicada Crabronidae Diptera Dragonflies & Damselflies Formicidae Hemiptera Heteroptera (True Bugs) Mango Planthopper Moths Orthoptera Orthopteroid Processionary Caterpillar Stink Bugs, Shield Bugs and Allies Syrphidae Wasps Water Scorpion (Laccotrephes tristis) Witchetty Grub