Global InformationCoprophanaeus ensifer information
| Coprophanaeus ensifer | |
|---|---|
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| Coprophanaeus ensifer in Pernambuco, Brazil | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia
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| Phylum: | Arthropoda
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| Class: | Insecta
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| Order: | Coleoptera
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| Suborder: | Polyphaga
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| Infraorder: | Scarabeiformia
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| Superfamily: | Scarabaeoidea
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| Family: | Scarabaeidae
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| Genus: | Coprophanaeus
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| Species: | C. ensifer
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| Binomial name | |
| Coprophanaeus ensifer (Germar, 1821)
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| Synonyms | |
[1] | |
Coprophanaeus ensifer is a large South American species of beetle belonging to the family Scarabaeidae.[2] This species is necrophagous and builds burrows near or on animal carcasses to dismember the flesh of decaying bodies and bring it to its burrow to feed. Both females and males help build the burrow and feed. It is characterized by its iridescent colors and a horn that is similar in shape and size in females and males. It uses its horn to tear apart carcasses and to fight with other individuals, with male-male fighting occurring more often. However, females also fight to determine a variety of characteristics of the opposing male. This species may be of importance in forensic science due to its destructive behavior on decaying bodies, especially in areas of Brazil where homicide rates are high.
- ^ Biolib
- ^ Edmonds, W.D.; Zidek, J. (2010). "A taxonomic review of the Neotropical genus Coprophanaeus Olsoufieff, 1924 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae, Scarabaeinae)". Insecta Mundi. 0129: 1–111.