''Saphobius'' is a genus of
dung beetle
Dung beetles are beetles that feed on feces. Some species of dung beetles can bury dung 250 times their own mass in one night.
Many dung beetles, known as ''rollers'', roll dung into round balls, which are used as a food source or breeding cha ...
s in the tribe
Deltochilini
Deltochilini (or Canthonini) is a tribe of scarab beetles, in the dung beetle subfamily ( Scarabaeinae). Members of this group vary widely in size (2–33 mm long) and shape, but were thought to be derived from an ancient ball-rolling line ...
of the subfamily
Scarabaeinae. They are
endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found els ...
to
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 List of islands of New Zealand, smaller islands. It is the ...
, with ''Saphobius edwardsi'' being most widespread.
They are small in size, flightless, forest dwelling and nocturnal,
which is unusual for dung beetles.
Dung beetles are typically associated with mammal faeces, but prior to human habitation, New Zealand lacked land mammals other than three species of bats.
This lack of mammal faeces has been suggested as the reason for the low diversity of dung beetles in New Zealand when compared to the rest of the world.
Olfaction studies and pitfall trap baiting trials have shown that chicken carcasses and squid are highly attractive to ''Saphobius'', which may reflect the evolution of the genus on an island abundant with bird species, in particular sea birds.
Taxonomy
The New Zealand Organisms Register lists these species.
* ''
Saphobius brouni''
* ''
Saphobius curvipes''
* ''
Saphobius edwardsi
''Saphobius'' is a genus of dung beetles in the tribe Deltochilini of the subfamily Scarabaeinae. They are endemic to New Zealand, with ''Saphobius edwardsi'' being most widespread. They are small in size, flightless, forest dwelling and nocturn ...
''
* ''
Saphobius fulvipes
''Saphobius'' is a genus of dung beetles in the tribe Deltochilini of the subfamily Scarabaeinae. They are endemic to New Zealand, with ''Saphobius edwardsi'' being most widespread. They are small in size, flightless, forest dwelling and noctur ...
''
* ''
Saphobius fuscus
''Saphobius'' is a genus of dung beetles in the tribe Deltochilini of the subfamily Scarabaeinae. They are endemic to New Zealand, with ''Saphobius edwardsi'' being most widespread. They are small in size, flightless, forest dwelling and noctur ...
''
* ''
Saphobius inflatipes''
* ''
Saphobius laticollis''
* ''
Saphobius lepidus
''Saphobius'' is a genus of dung beetles in the tribe Deltochilini of the subfamily Scarabaeinae. They are endemic to New Zealand, with ''Saphobius edwardsi'' being most widespread. They are small in size, flightless, forest dwelling and noctur ...
''
* ''
Saphobius lesnei''
* ''
Saphobius nitidulus''
* ''
Saphobius setosus''
* ''
Saphobius squamulosus''
* ''
Saphobius tibialis''
* ''
Saphobius wakefieldi
''Saphobius'' is a genus of dung beetles in the tribe Deltochilini of the subfamily Scarabaeinae. They are endemic to New Zealand, with ''Saphobius edwardsi'' being most widespread. They are small in size, flightless, forest dwelling and noctur ...
''
References
Endemic beetles of New Zealand
Scarabaeidae genera
Deltochilini
{{Scarabaeinae-stub