Thorectes lusitanicus
Species of beetle / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Thorectes lusitanicus is a medium-sized dung beetle ranging from 30-175 mg in dry body weight.[1] It is flightless with strong mandibles that allow it to exploit dry dung.[2] It is native to the southern Iberian Peninsula.[1] It is a tunneller that builds shallow tunnels several meters from the site of a dung deposition and transports the dung into the tunnel.[1][3][4] Once the dung is in the tunnel, females of this species lay their eggs within it.[1]
Thorectes lusitanicus | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Coleoptera |
Family: | Geotrupidae |
Genus: | Thorectes |
Species: | T. lusitanicus |
Binomial name | |
Thorectes lusitanicus (Jekel, 1865) | |
Thorectes lusitanicus is notable for its acorn consumption since researchers previously believed that dung beetles did not consume seeds. In fact, laboratory studies reveal that this unique dung beetle species actually prefers acorns over herbivore dung.[1] Further studies illustrate that acorn consumption leads to many physiological and developmental advantages in T. lusitanicus, such as significantly increased fat body development, increased resistance to cold temperatures, greater ovary development, and greater resistance to generalist pathogens.[2][5][6][7] The acorn consumption of T. lusitanicus also confers ecophysiological and reproductive advantages for the oak tree, as it leads to the beetle acting as a secondary seed disperser.[1][7] Many researchers are interested in the evolutionary relationship between apterism and acorn consumption in T. lusitanicus.[2] Furthermore, important symbiotic relationships within the gut microbiome of this beetle species facilitate its unique polyphagous behavior.[6]
The life cycle of T. lusitanicus starts in autumn when females lay their eggs in herbivore dung. After the offspring develop for 6-7 months, they emerge as adults in the spring.[1] A common livestock veterinary medicine, Ivermectin, poses a serious threat to Thorectes lusitanicus.[8]