Scarabaeus viettei
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| Scarabaeus viettei | |
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Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Suborder: | Polyphaga |
| Infraorder: | Scarabaeiformia |
| Family: | Scarabaeidae |
| Genus: | Scarabaeus |
| Species: | S. viettei |
| Binomial name | |
| Scarabaeus viettei (Paulian, 1953) | |
| Synonyms | |
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Scarabaeus viettei, or Viette's scarab beetle, is a species of dung beetle in the family Scarabaeidae, subfamily Scarabaeinae. It was first described by French entomologist Renaud Paulian in 1953. The species is endemic to Madagascar, with its known range restricted to the dry spiny forests of the island's western region.[1]
Adult S.viettei beetles exhibit a robust, rounded body typical of scarabaeines; individuals measure about 20 to 30 mm (0.8 to 1.2 in) in length. The exoskeleton is black and glossy, with reddish-brown setae distributed along the lateral and ventral surfaces. The antennae of males are composed of nine antennomeres, terminating in a lamellate club used for detecting odors. Sexual dimorphism is present, as males may exhibit more pronounced forelegs and possess horn-like structures on the head or thorax, which are typically used in intraspecific combat and mate competition.[2]