Catharsius molossus

Catharsius molossus
	Catharsius molossus from India
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Coleoptera
Family:	Scarabaeidae
Subfamily:	Scarabaeinae
Tribe:	Coprini
Genus:	Catharsius
Species:	C. molossus
Binomial name
	Catharsius molossus; (Linnaeus, 1758)
Synonyms
	Catharsius borneensis Paulian, 1936; Catharsius dubius Paulian, 1936; Catharsius kangeanus Paulian, 1936; Catharsius timorensis Lansberge, 1879; Copris urus Fabricius, 1801; Scarabaeus abbreviatus Herbst, 1789; Scarabaeus berbiceus Herbst, 1789; Scarabaeus janus Olivier, 1789; Scarabaeus molossus Linnaeus, 1758;

Catharsius molossus is a species of dung beetle of the family Scarabaeidae.

Description

Catharsius molossus can reach a length of about 25–35 millimetres (0.98–1.38 in) in the females, about 45 millimetres (1.8 in) in males. This species is completely black, the body is short and convex, quite hairy on the ventral side and usually with a short conical horn in the centre of the head of the males. Pronotum is densely granulated and elytra are finely striated. It is used in traditional Chinese medicine for detoxification, swelling and constipation.

Distribution

Catharsius molossus is one of the most widespread and abundant coprophagous species in tropical Asian regions. It occurs in the Palearctic ecozone (Afghanistan, Nepal, Sikkim, China, Taiwan), and in the Oriental ecozone (India, Sri Lanka, Andaman, Annam, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Cochinchina, Thailand, Malaysia, Timor, Flores).

References

External links

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