Epirinus is a genus of dung beetles in the tribe Deltochilini (subfamily Scarabaeinae) of the scarab family. It comprises 29 species from southern Africa; a few species are widespread in the region, but most have limited ranges. Length ranges from 3.0mm to 13.5mm.
Ecology
Most species in this genus feed on herbivore dung, although some are known to eat carrion. Some of the larger species roll balls of dung, whereas smaller species have been found in leaf litter. The genus includes both flying and flightless species.
Taxonomy
Species include:
Epirinus aeneus (Wiedemann, 1823)
Epirinus aquilus Medina & Scholtz, 2005
Epirinus asper Peringuey, 1901
Epirinus bentoi Ferreira, 1964
Epirinus comosus Peringuey, 1901
Epirinus convexus Scholtz & Howden, 1987
Epirinus davisi Scholtz & Howden, 1987
Epirinus drakomontanus Scholtz & Howden, 1987
Epirinus flagellatus (Fabricius, 1775)
Epirinus granulatus Scholtz & Howden, 1987
Epirinus gratus Peringuey, 1901
Epirinus hilaris Peringuey, 1901
Epirinus hluhluwensis Medina & Scholtz, 2005
Epirinus hopei Castelnau, 1840
Epirinus minimus Medina & Scholtz, 2005
Epirinus montanus Scholtz & Howden, 1987
Epirinus mucrodentatus Scholtz & Howden, 1987
Epirinus ngomae Medina & Scholtz, 2005
Epirinus obtusus Boheman, 1857
Epirinus pseudorugosus Medina & Scholtz, 2005
Epirinus punctatus Scholtz & Howden, 1987
Epirinus pygidialis Scholtz & Howden, 1987
Epirinus relictus Scholtz & Howden, 1987
Epirinus rugosus Scholtz & Howden, 1987
Epirinus scrobiculatus Harold, 1880
Epirinus sebastiani Medina & Scholtz, 2005
Epirinus silvestris Cambefort, 1978
Epirinus striatus Scholtz & Howden, 1987
Epirinus sulcipennis Boheman, 1857
Epirinus validus Peringuey, 1901
References
↑Scholtz, Clarke H.; Davis, Adrian L. V.; Kryger, Ute (2009). Evolutionary biology and conservation of dung beetles. Sofia-Moscow: Pensoft Pub. ISBN978-954-642-517-1.
12Medina, Claudia; Scholtz, Clarke (1 April 2005). "Systematics of the southern African genus Epirinus Reiche (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae: Canthonini): descriptions of new species and phylogeny". Insect Systematics & Evolution. 36 (2): 145–160. doi:10.1163/187631205788838500.
↑Davis, Adrian L.V.; Frolov, Andrey V.; Scholtz, Clarke H. (2008). The African dung beetle genera (1sted.). Pretoria: Protea Book House. pp.105–108. ISBN9781869192440.
