New Zealand Sand Scarab vs Fighting Soldier Thrips
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | New Zealand Sand Scarab | Fighting Soldier Thrips |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Pericoptus truncatus | Oncothrips tepperi |
| Order | Coleoptera | Thysanoptera |
| Family | Scarabaeidae | Phlaeothripidae |
| Size | 20-30 mm | 1.5-3 mm |
| Habitat | Deserts & Drylands | Deserts & Drylands |
| Diet | Predators | Gall Makers |
| Regions | Oceania (New Zealand) | Australia |
| Conservation | Near Threatened | Not Evaluated |
New Zealand Sand Scarab
A large flightless scarab beetle endemic to sandy coastal habitats in New Zealand. It is nocturnal and burrows in sand dunes during the day. Once common on beaches, it has become increasingly rare due to habitat modification and introduced predators.
Did You Know?
This beetle was once so common on beaches that Maori used it as fish bait, but predation by introduced rodents has severely reduced its numbers.
Fighting Soldier Thrips
A eusocial Australian thrips that forms colonies inside galls on Acacia trees with distinct reproductive and soldier castes. Soldiers patrol the gall and attack intruding insects.
Did You Know?
They are one of only about a dozen thrips species worldwide known to have evolved true eusociality with a soldier caste.