Phanaeus vindex

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Cladus: Protostomia
Cladus: Ecdysozoa
Cladus: Panarthropoda
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Classis: Insecta
Cladus: Dicondylia
Subclassis: Pterygota
Ordo: Coleoptera
Subordo: Polyphaga
Infraordo: Scarabaeiformia
Superfamilia: Scarabaeoidea

Familia: Scarabaeidae
Subfamilia: Scarabaeinae
Tribus: Phanaeini
Genus: Phanaeus
Species : Phanaeus vindex

Name

Phanaeus vindex MacLeay, 1819

Phanaeus vindex, the rainbow scarab, is a North American dung beetle, found from the eastern US to Arizona and Mexico.[1] The head is a metallic yellow color, and males have a black horn which curves backward toward the thorax. Both sexes have yellow antennae which can retract into a ball on the underside of the head. The thorax is a shiny coppery color, with yellow or green on the sides. The abdomen is metallic green. The underbelly is black and green. The beetles are about 1–2.2 cm long.[2]

Males and females work in pairs to dig burrows beneath animal excrement. They move some of the excrement down into the tunnel, where the female lays her eggs in it. The grubs feed on the excrement for several instars until pupating.

This species, like other dung beetles, is not a pest, and plays an important role in reducing waste in the environment.
Taxon identifiers

References

"Phanaeus vindex MacLeay, 1819". GBIF. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
Paris, Thomson; Rohde, Barukh; College, Hunter; Kaufman, Phillip. "Rainbow scarab - Phanaeus vindex Macleay". Featured Creatures. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. Retrieved 19 April 2022.