Coprophanaeus

{{Short description|Genus of beetles}}

{{Automatic Taxobox

| image = Scarabaeoidea Coprophanaeus lancifer Linnaeus, 1767 profil copie.jpg

| image_caption = Coprophanaeus lancifer

| taxon = Coprophanaeus

| authority = D'Olsoufieff, 1924

| display_parents = 2

}}

Coprophanaeus is a genus in the family Scarabaeidae (scarab beetles).[https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=926428 ITIS][http://nomen.at/Coprophanaeus Nomen.at - animals and plants ][http://data.gbif.org/species/browse/taxon/13143053 GBIF] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150327011528/http://data.gbif.org/species/browse/taxon/13143053 |date=March 27, 2015 }} The genus is almost entirely Neotropical, with a single species, C. pluto, ranging into southernmost Texas in the United States.{{cite journal| last=Edmonds | first=W.D. | last2=Zidek | first2=J. | year=2010 | title=A taxonomic review of the Neotropical genus Coprophanaeus Olsoufieff, 1924 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae, Scarabaeinae) | journal=Insecta Mundi | volume=0129 | pages=1-111 }}{{Cite web| title=Coprophanaeus pluto species Information | url=https://bugguide.net/node/view/344936 | website=BugGuide.net | access-date=29 June 2023 }} They are medium-sized to large beetles, with the South American C. ensifer and C. lancifer sometimes exceeding {{cvt|5|cm|0}} in length, making these two some of the largest dung beetles in the world (together with certain Catharsius and Heliocopris) and the largest in the Americas.{{cite journal| last=Maldaner | first=M.E. | last2=Vaz-de-Mello | first2=F.Z. | last3=Takiya | first3=D.M. | last4=Ferreira | first4=D.C. | year=2008 | title=Molecular Phylogeny of Coprophanaeus (Megaphanaeus) d’Olsoufieff, 1924 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) and the position of C. bellicosus | journal=Insect Systematics & Evolution | volume=51 | issue=5 | pages=241-255 | doi=10.1163/1876312X-00002198 }}{{cite journal| last=Maldaner | first=M.E. | last2=Vaz-de-Mello | first2=F.Z. | last3=Takiya | first3=D.M. | last4=Ferreira | first4=D.C. | year=2019 | title=Genetic and chromatic variation of Coprophanaeus (Megaphanaeus) ensifer (Germar, 1821) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) | journal=Zoologischer Anzeiger | volume=283 | pages=150-160 | doi=10.1016/j.jcz.2019.09.001 }} They often have a horn on the head, and are typically a bright metallic color, most often blue or green (other colors also occur, for example red), or black.{{cite journal| last=Cupello | first=M. | last2=Vaz-de-Mello | first2=F.Z. | year=2014 | title=Revalidation of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest dung beetle species Coprophanaeus (Metallophanaeus) machadoi (Pereira & d'Andretta, 1955) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae: Phanaeini) based on morphological and distributional evidence | volume=3869 | issue=4 | pages=435.451 | doi=10.11646/zootaxa.3869.4.7|journal=Zootaxa}}| These diurnal or crepuscular beetles are excellent diggers and good fliers.{{cite journal| last=Ururahy-Rodrigues | first=A. | last2=Rafael | first2=J.A. | last3=Wanderley | first3=R.F. | last4=Marques | first4=H. | last5=Pujol-Luz | first5=J.R. | year=2008 | title=Coprophanaeus lancifer (Linnaeus, 1767) (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae) activity moves a man-size pig carcass: Relevant data for forensic taphonomy | journal=Forensic Science International | volume=182 | issue=1-3 | pages=e19-e22 | doi=10.1016/j.forsciint.2008.09.009 }}

Although part of the true dung beetle subfamily Scarabaeinae, adult and young Coprophanaeus primarily feed on carrion, but many species may also feed on feces. They are paracoprids, meaning that adults dig tunnels into the soil under the food source and move parts of the food source to a nest chamber where the eggs are laid.{{cite journal| last=Cantil | first=L.F. | last2=Sánche | first2=M.V. | last3=Sarzetti | first3=L. | last4=Molina | first4=A. | last5=Genise | first5=J.F. | year=2015 | title=Nest and brood balls of Coprophanaeus (Coprophanaeus) cyanescens (Olsoufiefff, 1924) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) | journal=The Coleopterists Bulletin | volume=69 | issue=1 | pages=153-158 | doi=10.1649/0010-065X-69.1.153 | hdl=11336/50474 | hdl-access=free }} Because of their feeding on carrion, they are of interest to forensic entomology.