Kingdom Animalia Class Insecta Family Scarabaeidae Rank Species | Phylum Arthropoda Order Coleoptera Subfamily Scarabaeinae | |
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Similar Heliocopris, Onitis, Gymnopleurus, Caccobius, Oniticellus | ||
Catharsius molossus is a species of dung beetle belonging to the Scarabaeidae family.
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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).