# Saphobius

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***Saphobius*** is a genus of [dung beetles](/source/Dung_beetle) in the tribe [Deltochilini](/source/Deltochilini) of the subfamily [Scarabaeinae](/source/Scarabaeinae). They are [endemic](/source/Endemic) to [New Zealand](/source/New_Zealand), with *Saphobius edwardsi* being most widespread.[1] They are small in size, flightless, forest dwelling and nocturnal,[1] which is unusual for dung beetles.[1]

Dung beetles are typically associated with mammal faeces,[2] but prior to human habitation, New Zealand lacked land mammals other than three species of bats.[1] This lack of mammal faeces has been suggested as the reason for the low diversity of dung beetles in New Zealand when compared to the rest of the world.[1][3] Olfaction studies and pitfall trap baiting trials have shown that chicken carcasses and squid are highly attractive to *Saphobius*, which may reflect the evolution of the genus on an island abundant with bird species, in particular sea birds.[4][5]

## Taxonomy

The New Zealand Organisms Register lists these species.[6]

- *[Saphobius brouni](/source/Saphobius_brouni)* (Paulian, 1935)
- *[Saphobius curvipes](/source/Saphobius_curvipes)* (Broun, 1893)
- *[Saphobius edwardsi](/source/Saphobius_edwardsi)* (Sharp, 1873)
- *[Saphobius fulvipes](/source/Saphobius_fulvipes)* (Broun, 1893)
- *[Saphobius fuscus](/source/Saphobius_fuscus)* (Broun, 1893)
- *[Saphobius inflatipes](/source/Saphobius_inflatipes)* (Broun, 1893)
- *[Saphobius laticollis](/source/Saphobius_laticollis)* (Broun, 1914)
- *[Saphobius lepidus](/source/Saphobius_lepidus)* (Broun, 1912)
- *[Saphobius lesnei](/source/Saphobius_lesnei)* (Paulian, 1935)
- *[Saphobius nitidulus](/source/Saphobius_nitidulus)* (Broun, 1880)
- *[Saphobius setosus](/source/Saphobius_setosus)* (Sharp, 1886)
- *[Saphobius squamulosus](/source/Saphobius_squamulosus)* (Broun, 1886)
- *[Saphobius tibialis](/source/Saphobius_tibialis)* (Broun, 1895)
- *[Saphobius wakefieldi](/source/Saphobius_wakefieldi)* (Sharp, 1877)

## References

1. Jones, Asher G.; Forgie, Shaun A.; Scott, David J.; Beggs, Jacqueline R. (2012-04-01). "Generalist dung attraction response in a New Zealand dung beetle that evolved with an absence of mammalian herbivores". *Ecological Entomology*. **37** (2): 124–133. [doi:10.1111/j.1365-2311.2012.01344.x](https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2311.2012.01344.x). [ISSN 1365-2311](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/1365-2311). [S2CID 85356532](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:85356532)

1. Hanski, Ilkka (2014). *Dung Beetle Ecology*. Princeton University Press. [doi:10.1515/9781400862092](https://doi.org/10.1515/9781400862092). ISBN 9781400862092.

1. Davis, Adrian L. V. & Scholtz, Clarke H. (2001-07-01). "Historical vs. ecological factors influencing global patterns of scarabaeine dung beetle diversity". *Diversity and Distributions*. **7** (4): 161–174. [doi:10.1111/j.1472-4642.2001.00102.x](https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1472-4642.2001.00102.x). [ISSN 1472-4642](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/1472-4642)

1. Stavert, Jamie R.; Drayton, Bradley A.; Beggs, Jacqueline R.; Gaskett, Anne C. (2014-10-01). "The volatile organic compounds of introduced and native dung and carrion and their role in dung beetle foraging behaviour". *Ecological Entomology*. **39** (5): 556–565. [doi:10.1111/een.12133](https://doi.org/10.1111/een.12133). [ISSN 1365-2311](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/1365-2311). [S2CID 82796507](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:82796507)

1. Seldon, David S. & Beggs, Jacqueline R. (2010-02-01). "The efficacy of baited and live capture pitfall traps in collecting large-bodied forest carabids.". *New Zealand Entomologist*. **33** (1): 30–37. [CiteSeerX 10.1.1.619.9659](https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.619.9659). [doi:10.1080/00779962.2010.9722189](https://doi.org/10.1080/00779962.2010.9722189). [ISSN 0077-9962](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/0077-9962). [S2CID 87910405](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:87910405)

1. ["Saphobius"](http://www.nzor.org.nz/names/1ea5a93f-30f0-49b3-a63f-4a98c80a6b32). *New Zealand Organisms Register*. Landcare Research. Retrieved 2017-09-06.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Saphobius](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saphobius) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saphobius?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.