Scarabaeolus carniphilus: a necrophagous dung beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae) buries and feeds on a dead snake

Abstract

A rare sighting of two male carrion specialist dung beetles, Scarabaeolus carniphilus Deschodt & Davis, 2015, burying a freshly dead Herald snake (Crotaphopeltis hotamboeia (Laurenti, 1768)) is documented from its discovery in the field and subsequent reburial under laboratory conditions. The species studied is a member of the telecoprid (dung roller) Scarabaeini, but behaved here like a paracoprid; it deliberately cut into and removed flesh from the dead snake; these pieces were then taken into a feeding burrow; later a pheromone release stance was taken up near an established burrow; and under laboratory conditions the snake was completely buried. These observations, mostly novel for this species and its genus are clearly documented via photographs and an online time lapse video taken every hour for 24-hours during the snake’s-(re)burial. This note introduces relevant aspects of dung beetle natural history and new biological information for Scarabaeolus and particularly for Sc. carniphilus. It records and interprets a carrion specialist Scarabaeini dung beetle burying and feeding on fresh carrion; highlights natural history findings (pheromone release) previously not considered for the evolution of the Scarabaeini; and aims to stimulate behavioural research into this interesting and under studied genus Scarabaeolus.