Portrait of Beelte from Scarabaeidae family

The family Scarabaeidae, as currently defined, consists of over 35,000 species of

beetle Beetles are insects that form the Taxonomic rank, order Coleoptera (), in the superorder Holometabola. Their front pair of wings are hardened into wing-cases, elytra, distinguishing them from most other insects. The Coleoptera, with about 40 ...

s worldwide; they are often called scarabs or scarab beetles. The classification of this family has undergone significant change. Several groups formerly treated as subfamilies have been elevated to family rank (e.g., Bolboceratidae, Geotrupidae, Glaresidae, Glaphyridae,

Hybosoridae Hybosoridae, sometimes known as the scavenger scarab beetles, is a family of Scarabaeiformia, scarabaeiform beetles. The >600 species in 78 extant genera occur widely in the tropics, but little is known of their biology. Hybosorids are small, 5 ...

Ochodaeidae Ochodaeidae, also known as the sand-loving scarab beetles, is a small family of scarabaeiform beetles occurring in many parts of the world. These beetles are small, ranging from . Their bodies are elongate and convex, with black and brown colo ...

, and Pleocomidae), and some reduced to lower ranks. The subfamilies listed in this article are in accordance with those in Catalog of Life (2023).

Description

Scarab Cartouche of Thutmosis III from Karnak

Scarabs are stout-bodied beetles; most are brown or black in colour, but many, generally species that are diurnally active, have bright metallic colours, measuring between . The antennae of most species superficially seem to be knobbed (capitate), but the several segments comprising the head of the antenna are, as a rule, lamellate: they extend laterally into plates called

lamellae Lamella (: lamellae) means a small plate or flake in Latin, and in English may refer to: Biology * Lamella (mycology), a papery rib beneath a mushroom cap * Lamella (botany) * Lamella (surface anatomy), a plate-like structure in an animal * Lame ...

that they usually keep compressed into a ball. Then, when following a scent, such a beetle fans the lamellae out like leaves to sense odours. Many species are

fossorial A fossorial animal () is one that is adapted to digging and which lives primarily (but not solely) underground. Examples of fossorial vertebrates are Mole (animal), moles, badgers, naked mole-rats, meerkats, armadillos, wombats, and mole salamand ...

, with legs adapted for digging. In some groups males (and sometimes females) have prominent horns on the head and/or pronotum to fight over mates or resources. The largest fossil scarabaeid was '' Oryctoantiquus borealis'' with a length of . Curl grub

The C-shaped

larva A larva (; : larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into their next life stage. Animals with indirect development such as insects, some arachnids, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase ...

e, called grubs, are pale yellow or white. Most adult beetles are nocturnal, although the flower chafers (

Cetoniinae Flower chafers are a group of scarab beetles comprising the subfamily Cetoniinae. Many species are diurnal and visit flowers for pollen and nectar, or to browse on the petals. Some species also feed on fruit. The group is also called fruit and ...

) and many leaf chafers ( Rutelinae) are active during the day. The grubs mostly live underground or under debris, so are not exposed to sunlight. Many scarabs are scavengers that recycle dung,

carrion Carrion (), also known as a carcass, is the decaying flesh of dead animals. Overview Carrion is an important food source for large carnivores and omnivores in most ecosystems. Examples of carrion-eaters (or scavengers) include crows, vultures ...

, or decaying plant material. Others, such as the

Japanese beetle The Japanese beetle (''Popillia japonica'') is a species of Scarabaeidae, scarab beetle. Due to the presence of Predation, natural predators, the Japanese beetle is not considered a pest in its native Japan, but in North America and some region ...

, are plant-eaters, wreaking havoc on various crops and vegetation. Some of the well-known beetles from the Scarabaeidae are Japanese beetles,

dung beetle Dung beetles are beetles that feed on feces. All species of dung beetle belong to the superfamily Scarabaeoidea, most of them to the subfamilies Scarabaeinae and Aphodiinae of the family Scarabaeidae (scarab beetles). As most species of Scara ...

s, June beetles, rose chafers (

Australian Australian(s) may refer to: Australia * Australia, a country * Australians, citizens of the Commonwealth of Australia ** European Australians ** Anglo-Celtic Australians, Australians descended principally from British colonists ** Aboriginal Aus ...

, European, and

North American North America is a continent in the Northern and Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Caribbean Sea, and to the sou ...

rhinoceros beetle Dynastinae or rhinoceros beetles are a subfamily of the scarabaeidae, scarab beetle family (biology), family (Scarabaeidae). Other common names – some for particular groups of rhinoceros beetles – include Hercules beetles, unicorn be ...

Hercules beetle The Hercules beetle (''Dynastes hercules'') is a species of Dynastinae, rhinoceros beetle native to the rainforests of southern Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Lesser Antilles. It is the List of largest insects#Beetles (Coleopter ...

s and Goliath beetles. Several members of this family have structurally coloured shells which act as left-handed circular polarisers; this was the first-discovered example of circular polarization in nature.

Ancient Egypt

Ancient Egypt Ancient Egypt () was a cradle of civilization concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in Northeast Africa. It emerged from prehistoric Egypt around 3150BC (according to conventional Egyptian chronology), when Upper and Lower E ...

, the dung beetle now known as '' Scarabaeus sacer'' (formerly ''Ateuchus sacer'') was revered as sacred. Egyptian

amulet An amulet, also known as a good luck charm or phylactery, is an object believed to confer protection upon its possessor. The word "amulet" comes from the Latin word , which Pliny's ''Natural History'' describes as "an object that protects a perso ...

s representing the sacred scarab beetles were traded throughout the Mediterranean world.bugguide.net
Family Scarabaeidae - Scarab Beetles

References

External links

Flickr
Images on Flickr

Photos of various Cetonidae, Dynastidae, Euchiridae, Lucanidae and Trichinae]
Family SCARABAEIDAE

Bibliography of literature published on scarab beetles since 1 January 2001
(worldwide coverage; through 2005) * * {{Authority control Scarabaeidae, Beetle families Taxa named by Pierre André Latreille

Description

Ancient Egypt

See also

References

Further reading

External links