Small Australian Tunneler vs Giant Palm Borer
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Small Australian Tunneler | Giant Palm Borer |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Onthophagus parvus | Dinapate wrightii |
| Order | Coleoptera | Coleoptera |
| Family | Scarabaeidae | Bostrichidae |
| Size | 4-6 mm | 40-52 mm |
| Habitat | Woodlands | Deserts & Drylands |
| Diet | Dung Feeders | Wood Feeders |
| Regions | Australia | Southwestern United States, Mexico |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Not Evaluated |
Small Australian Tunneler
A tiny, brown tunneling dung beetle native to Australia. It is one of the few native Australian species adapted to process the dry, pellet-like dung of marsupials. Found in eucalyptus woodland across the continent.
Did You Know?
Native Australian dung beetles evolved with marsupial pellet dung and were ill-equipped to handle the wet dung of introduced cattle.
Giant Palm Borer
One of the largest bostrichid beetles, with a cylindrical body adapted for boring into palm trunks. Larvae take years to develop.
Did You Know?
Its larval development can take 10 years or more inside a palm trunk before adults emerge.