Melinopterus sphacelatus (Panzer, 1798)
(a dung beetle)

Interactions where Melinopterus sphacelatus is the dominant partner and gains from the process

The following relationships have been collated from the published literature (see 'Interaction References').

Stage Summary Taxon Vernacular Classification References Darwin Classification of Active Taxon Active Taxon Active Vernacular Active Taxon Uncertain Active State Active Part Active Stage Relationship Relationship Uncertain Relationship Geography Darwin Classification of Passive Taxon Passive Taxon Passive Vernacular Passive Taxon Uncertain Passive State Passive Part Passive Stage Passive Taxon's significance to Active Taxon Indoors etc Season
imago imago may be found under dung MAMMALIA mammals Dung Beetles and Chafers (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea), Jessop, L., 1986
 /Animalia/Arthropoda/Insecta/Coleoptera/Scarabaeidae/Melinopterus sphacelatus/Melinopterus sphacelatusa dung beetleimago Animal / resting place / under /Animalia/Chordata/Mammalia/Mammaliamammalsdung
larva larva feeds on animal debris dung MAMMALIA mammals Dung Beetles and Chafers (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea), Jessop, L., 1986
 /Animalia/Arthropoda/Insecta/Coleoptera/Scarabaeidae/Melinopterus sphacelatus/Melinopterus sphacelatusa dung beetlelarva Animal / dung / debris saprobe /Animalia/Chordata/Mammalia/Mammaliamammalsdung
imago imago may be found in decomposing debris MAGNOLIOPSIDA flowering plants Dung Beetles and Chafers (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea), Jessop, L., 1986
 /Animalia/Arthropoda/Insecta/Coleoptera/Scarabaeidae/Melinopterus sphacelatus/Melinopterus sphacelatusa dung beetleimago Plant / resting place / within /Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Magnoliopsidaflowering plantsdecomposingdebris
larva larva feeds on decomposing debris MAGNOLIOPSIDA flowering plants Dung Beetles and Chafers (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea), Jessop, L., 1986
 /Animalia/Arthropoda/Insecta/Coleoptera/Scarabaeidae/Melinopterus sphacelatus/Melinopterus sphacelatusa dung beetlelarva Foodplant / debris feeder /Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Magnoliopsidaflowering plantsdecomposingdebris

Author & YearTitleSource
Jessop, L., 1986Dung Beetles and Chafers (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea)Handbooks for the Identification of British Insects, Vol 5, Part 11, New edition, 53pp, The Royal Entomological Society of London

Melinopterus sphacelatus (a dung beetle) may also be included in 'feeds on' relations listed under the following higher taxa:

Melinopterus sphacelatus (a dung beetle) may be included in 'fed on by' relations listed under the following higher taxa:

Taxonomic hierarchy:
SpeciesMelinopterus sphacelatus (a dung beetle)
GenusMelinopterus (a genus of beetles)
TribeAphodiini (a tribe of dung beetles)
SubfamilyAPHODIINAE (a subfamily of dung beetles)
FamilySCARABAEIDAE (scarab, dung and carrion beetles)
SuperfamilySCARABAEOIDEA (scarabs, dung and stag beetles)
Series Scarabaeiformia (scarabs, dung and stag beetles)
SuborderPOLYPHAGA (mainly terrestrial beetles)
OrderCOLEOPTERA (beetles)
Division Endopterygota (bees, beetles, flies, moths and other insects with wings developing internally)
InfraclassNeoptera (bees, beetles, flies, grasshoppers, moths and other advanced insects)
SubclassPTERYGOTA (bees, beetles, dragonflies, flies, grasshoppers, moths and other winged insects)
ClassINSECTA (true insects)
SubphylumHEXAPODA (insects and other 6-legged organisms)
PhylumARTHROPODA (arthropods)
SuperphylumECDYSOZOA (skin shedders)
CladeBilateria (bilaterally symmetrical animals)
SubkingdomEUMETAZOA (metazoans)
KingdomANIMALIA (animals)
DomainEukaryota (eukaryotes)
LifeBIOTA (living things)
NBNNBN (data.nbn.org.uk) has a distribution map for Melinopterus sphacelatus (a dung beetle)

Identification Works

Handling & MagnificationAuthorYearTitleSource
Hodges, D. & Murray, D. WCG - website of the Watford Coleoptera Group thewcg.org.uk/

Melinopterus sphacelatus (a dung beetle) may also be included in identification literature listed under the following higher taxa:

Literature listed under the following higher taxa may be relevant to Melinopterus sphacelatus (a dung beetle):

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