Geotrupidae


Geotrupidae , earth, and τρῡπητής is a family of beetles in the order Coleoptera. They are commonly called earth-boring dung beetles or dor beetles. Most excavate burrows in which to lay their eggs. They are typically detritivores, provisioning their nests with leaf litter, but are occasionally coprophagous, similar to dung beetles. The eggs are laid in or upon the provision mass and buried, and the developing larvae feed upon the provisions. The burrows of some species can exceed 2 metres in depth.
A few species communicate by stridulation.

Classification

They were originally classified as the subfamily Geotrupinae in the family Scarabaeidae before being elevated to a family. Traditionally the family Bolboceratidae was included on the basis of the number of antenna segments, but examination of a different set of characteristics prompted Scholtz & Browne to elevate Bolboceratidae to a family, a result supported by recent phylogenetic research.
The family has more than 600 species in about 30 genera in two subfamilies; more recent phylogenetic studies indicate that Taurocerastinae is not related to Geotrupinae, and is instead more closely related to Lucanidae and Diphyllostomatidae.