Liothorax kraatzi explained

Liothorax kraatzi is a species of dung beetle with a widespread distribution from Southeastern Europe, Asia Minor, to Caucasus, and Central Asia.^{[1] [2]}

Description

This small shiny, cylindrical beetle has the average length about 4.0 to 5.0 mm. Body elongate, convex, and glabrous. Body black in color with pale brown antennal club. Legs are reddish brown. Anteriorly gibbose head at middle with fine punctures. Clypeus weakly sinuate with a rounded genae. Pronotum convex, and transverse. Pronotum has dual, irregular, dense punctures. Scutellum consists with sparse punctures. Elytra elongate, parallel-sided with deep striae and distinct punctures.^[3]

Adults are saprophagous and . They mostly inhabit open habitats, such as damp soil. Beetles are usually abundant during late spring, summer, and autumn.^[4] Some specimens have been collected from horse dung.^[5]

Notes and References

1. Gavrilovic . B. . Curcic . S.B. . amp . Diversity of species of the family Scarabaeidae (Coleoptera) in Serbia . Archives of Biological Sciences . 2010 . 62 . 3 . 755–765 . 10.2298/abs1003755g . free .
2. Bunalski . Marek . Contributions to the knowledge Scarabaeoidea (Coleoptera) of Bulgaria. Part I. Results of the Expeditions 1996 and 1998 . 2021-07-15 . Wiadomości Entomologiczne . 19 . 2 . 85–92 . 2000 .
3. Dellacasa . Marco . Gordon . Robert D. . Dellacasa . Giovanni . amp . Systematic review to the genus Liothorax (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea: Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae) . Zootaxa . 2007 . 1407 . 1 . 23–42 . 10.11646/zootaxa.1407.1.4 .
4. Negrobov . S. O. . Seasonal dynamics of scarab beetles (Coleoptera, Lamellicornia) in Voronezh Province . Entomological Review . 2009 . 89 . 1 . 113–115 . 10.1134/S0013873809010163.
5. Král, D. . Malý, V. . amp . New records of Scarabaeoidea (Coleoptera) from Bulgaria . 2021-07-15 . Acta Societatis Zoologicae Bohemicae . 57 . 17–29 . 1993 .