Scarabs
Scarabaeidae
Summary 5
The family Scarabaeidae as currently defined consists of over 30,000 species of beetles worldwide. The species in this large family are often called scarabs or scarab beetles. The classification of this family is fairly unstable, with numerous competing theories, and new proposals appearing quite often. It is probable that many of the subfamilies listed here will not be recognized very much longer, as they will likely be reduced in status below subfamily rank, or elevated to family status (the latter is most likely, e.g., with the family "Melolonthidae" already appearing in some recent classifications). Other families have been removed recently, and are nearly universally accepted (e.g., Pleocomidae, Glaresidae, Glaphyridae, Ochodaeidae, Geotrupidae, and Bolboceratidae).
SoCal Status 6
Fairly common throughout most SoCal and California with records covering all SoCal counties per in BugGuide
Known Species per The California Beetle Database .
Acoma arizonica
Acoma glabrata
Aegialia conferta
Aegialia convexa
Aegialia crassa
Aegialia latispina
Aegialia nigrella
Aegialia punctata
Anomala carlsoni
Anomala flavilla
Anomala hardyorum
Anomala imperialiae
Aphodius aculeatus
Aphodius acutissimus
Aphodius alternatus
Aphodius carpinterius
Aphodius coloradensis
Aphodius consociatus
Aphodius coquilletti
Aphodius cribratulus
Aphodius davisi
Aphodius fimetarius
Aphodius fucosus
Aphodius granarius
Aphodius haemorrhoidalis
Aphodius lividus
Aphodius luxatus
Aphodius militaris
Aphodius opacus
Aphodius ovipennis
Aphodius pardalis
Aphodius pseudofucosus
Aphodius ruficlarus
Aphodius rugatus
Aphodius sparsus
Aphodius subaeneus
Aphodius tuberosus
Aphodius ungulatus
Aphodius vandykei
Aphodius vittatus
Ataenius californicus
Ataenius cognatus
Ataenius desertus
Ataenius duncani
Ataenius hesperius
Ataenius lobatus
Ataenius nocturnus
Ataenius platensis
Ataenius puncticollis
Ataenius punctifrons
Ataenius stephani
Ataenius vandykei
Bolbocerastes regalis
Canthon simplex
Chnaunanthus chapini
Chnaunanthus discolor
Chnaunanthus flavipennis
Coenonycha acuta
Coenonycha ampla
Coenonycha barri
Coenonycha clementina
Coenonycha clypeata
Coenonycha crispata
Coenonycha dimorpha
Coenonycha fulva
Coenonycha hageni
Coenonycha lurida
Coenonycha mediata
Coenonycha ochreata
Coenonycha ovatis
Coenonycha pallida
Coenonycha parvula
Coenonycha rotundata
Coenonycha santacruzae
Coenonycha testacea
Cotinis mutabilis
Cremastocheilus angularis
Cremastocheilus armatus
Cremastocheilus armatus montanus
Cremastocheilus crinitus
Cremastocheilus depressus
Cremastocheilus quadratus
Cremastocheilus schaumii
Cremastocheilus schaumii schaumii
Cremastocheilus westwoodi
Cremastocheilus westwoodi westwoodi
Cremastocheilus wheeleri
Cyclocephala hirta
Cyclocephala longula
Cyclocephala melanocephala
Cyclocephala pasadenae
Cyclocephala wandae
Dichelonyx backii
Dichelonyx fulgida
Dichelonyx muscula
Dichelonyx nana
Dichelonyx pusilla
Dichelonyx truncata
Dichelonyx vicina
Dinacoma caseyi
Dinacoma marginata
Diplotaxis anxius
Diplotaxis corbula
Diplotaxis corvina
Diplotaxis deserta
Diplotaxis fimbriata
Diplotaxis fossipalpa
Diplotaxis insignis
Diplotaxis knausii
Diplotaxis missionaria
Diplotaxis moerens
Diplotaxis pacata
Diplotaxis rufiola
Diplotaxis sierrae
Diplotaxis subangulata
Diplotaxis tenuis
Genuchinus ineptus
Gymnopyge coquilletti
Gymnopyge hirsuta
Gymnopyge hopliaeformis
Hemiphileurus illatus
Hoplia callipyge
Hoplia dispar
Hoplia sackenii
Leptohoplia testaceipennis
Megasoma sleeperi
Oncerus floralis
Onitis alexis
Onthophagus cartwrighti
Onthophagus taurus
Onthophagus velutinus
Oxygrylius ruginasus
Paracotalpa deserta
Paracotalpa puncticollis
Paracotalpa ursina
Parathyce bidentata
Parathyce carpenteri
Parathyce fieldi
Parathyce harfordi
Parathyce palpalis
Parathyce riversi
Phobetus ciliatus
Phobetus comatus
Phobetus humeralis
Phobetus mojavus
Phobetus palpalis
Phobetus robinsoni
Phobetus saylori
Phobetus testaceus
Phyllophaga mucorea
Phyllophaga stohleri
Phyllophaga timida
Phyllophaga xerophila
Platyomus micros
Platyomus tibialis
Plectrodes pubescens
Pleurophorus caesus
Polyphylla cavifrons
Polyphylla crinita
Polyphylla decemlineata
Polyphylla diffracta
Polyphylla erratica
Polyphylla nigra
Polyphylla nubila
Pseudocotalpa andrewsi
Rhyssemus californicus
Serica acicula
Serica acontia
Serica adversa
Serica alleni
Serica alternata
Serica alternata alternata
Serica alternata exolita
Serica catalina
Serica chaetosoma
Serica cruzi
Serica cuyamaca
Serica deserticola
Serica diablo
Serica egregia
Serica elmontea
Serica elongatula
Serica fimbriata
Serica heteracantha
Serica laguna
Serica ligulata
Serica ligulata ligulata
Serica ligulata praetermissa
Serica mckenziei
Serica mixta
Serica pavonia
Serica perigonia
Serica porcula
Serica prava
Serica sandiegensis
Serica satrapa
Serica sculptilis
Serica serotina
Serica stygia
Serica watson
Tesarius caelatus
Tesarius doyeni
Thyce deserta
Tomarus gibbosus obsoletus
Trichiorhyssemus riparius
Valgus californicus
Xeropsamobeus desertus
General description 7
Scarabaeidae (Scarab Beetles)
This a large family of beetles, ranging in size from small to very large. They are usually black with a heavy carapace, and powerfully built. Many of these beetles display little interest in flowers, preferring to roam across the ground and hunt for other insect prey. Some of them are attracted to dung, which is shaped into a ball and rolled along the ground. This is deposited in a suitable hole, where the eggs are laid. Only one subfamily will be described, because the Scarab beetles in this group are more likely to visit flowers. Cetonniae (Flower Scarab Beetles): These are medium-sized beetles, somewhat round and flattened in shape. They are variably colored, sometimes iridescent green, black, or with brown and yellow patterns. The antennae are short and stout, like other Scarab beetles. The adults often appear on flowers, feeding on pollen, if not the flowers themselves. The larvae feed on plant roots, rotting wood, and decaying organic material in the ground.
Sources and Credits
- (c) Biopix, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://www.biopix.com/photos/sdl-oryctes-nasicornis-00003.jpg
- (c) Katja Schulz, some rights reserved (CC BY), https://www.flickr.com/photos/treegrow/14569077285/
- (c) sea-kangaroo, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), uploaded by sea-kangaroo
- (c) Elizabeth Torres Bahena, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Elizabeth Torres Bahena
- (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scarabaeidae
- (c) BJ Stacey, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
- (c) John Hilty, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/27434032
