Geotrupinae

Geotrupinae is a subfamily of the family Scarabaeidae, commonly known as dung beetles. This subfamily is characterized by its robust, oval-shaped bodies and often large size. Members of Geotrupinae are primarily coprophagous, meaning they feed on the dung of mammals. They play a crucial role in nutrient cycling and soil aeration by burying and processing feces.

The subfamily includes several tribes, with the most well-known being the Geotrupini. This tribe contains many of the larger, more familiar dung beetles, such as the European rhinoceros beetle (though not a true rhinoceros beetle) and the various "dor beetles" or "earth-boring dung beetles." These beetles are found in a wide range of habitats, from forests and grasslands to agricultural areas, across much of the world.

Geotrupinae species exhibit diverse behaviors related to dung utilization. Some are tunnelers, excavating chambers beneath dung pats to store food for their larvae. Others are rollers, forming balls of dung and rolling them away to a suitable location. The reproductive strategies can vary, with females often provisioning larval chambers with dung. The larvae themselves are C-shaped and grub-like, developing within these buried food provisions. Their ecological importance extends to reducing pest insect populations that breed in dung and aiding in seed dispersal.