Which beetle family is commonly known as dung beetles?

Which beetle family is commonly known as dung beetles?

• A. Scarabaeidae
• B. Passalidae
• C. Buprestidae
• D. Elateridae

Answer: (A)

Dung beetles are best associated with the group Scarabaeidae, a family that includes many beetles specialized for feeding on and utilizing animal dung. These beetles are famous for rolling and burying dung to provide food for their larvae, a behavior that defines many with the dung beetle lifestyle. Morphologically, scarabs often have stout bodies and antennae that end in a club of flat, leaflike segments (lamellate), a feature that helps distinguish them from other beetle families. The other families listed have different life histories: bess beetles (Passalidae) live in rotting wood; jewel beetles (Buprestidae) are typically metallic and wood-boring as larvae; and click beetles (Elateridae) are known for their ability to flip into the air with a clicking mechanism and have different body shapes. Because dung beetles are most commonly classified within Scarabaeidae, that is the best match.

Dung beetles are best associated with the group Scarabaeidae, a family that includes many beetles specialized for feeding on and utilizing animal dung. These beetles are famous for rolling and burying dung to provide food for their larvae, a behavior that defines many with the dung beetle lifestyle. Morphologically, scarabs often have stout bodies and antennae that end in a club of flat, leaflike segments (lamellate), a feature that helps distinguish them from other beetle families.

The other families listed have different life histories: bess beetles (Passalidae) live in rotting wood; jewel beetles (Buprestidae) are typically metallic and wood-boring as larvae; and click beetles (Elateridae) are known for their ability to flip into the air with a clicking mechanism and have different body shapes. Because dung beetles are most commonly classified within Scarabaeidae, that is the best match.