Cryptoscatomaseter rossi
This record describes Cryptoscatomaseter rossi (species). Recorded family: Scarabaeidae. Recorded order: Coleoptera.
Identification and Appearance
The type locality is Somerset (Bexar County) were it was taken from nests and refuse chambers and trapped in bait traps placed in burrows of the pocket gopher Geomys breviceps atwateri Merriam (Cartwright, 1944).
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Coleoptera (Beetles)
- Suborder
- Polyphaga
- Superfamily
- Scarabaeoidea
- Family
- Scarabaeidae (Scarab Beetles)
- Subfamily
- Aphodiinae
- Tribe
- Aphodiini
- Genus
- Cryptoscatomaseter
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Provisional Texas endemic. (Bexar and Hardin Counties) This species is likely to be found in OK and LA.
About Primitive Winged Insects: the wider group
Order-level background for Coleoptera, the group containing Cryptoscatomaseter rossi. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Coleoptera is the largest order of insects with over 400,000 described species, representing ~25% of all known animal species and ~40% of all insects. In the U.S. alone, nearly 30,000 beetle species have been identified.
Ecological role of the group
Beetles are prominent decomposers, especially in forests, breaking down dead wood and recycling nutrients. As predators, they reduce populations of pest insects. Many species are also important pollinators of flowering plants.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Beetles have major economic significance: leaf beetles (Chrysomelidae) and weevils (Curculionoidea) are among the most destructive agricultural pests globally, costing billions annually, while predatory species like ladybugs provide natural pest control.
Recorded sources for this group: Britannica, Smithsonian, NCSU Entomology. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Cryptoscatomaseter rossi (4)
Photo credits: Contributed by Mike Quinn; Additional contributions by Phillip Harpootlian