A Dung-Beetle Impostor: Revision of the Australian Weevil Genus Tentegia Pascoe and the Dung-Rolling Behaviour of Tentegia stupida (Fabricius) (Curculionidae: Molytinae: Cryptorhynchini)

Abstract

Abstract. The Australian cryptorhynchine weevil genus Tentegia Pascoe, 1873 is unique among Curculionoidea due to its coprophagous life style. The adults roll or pull marsupial dung pellets and cache them under logs, and the larvae develop in the pellets. In a remarkable case of convergent evolution, Tentegia is the only known beetle taxon outside of Scarabaeinae (Scarabaeidae) with such dung-rolling and nesting habits. In this paper the taxonomy of Tentegia is revised, including the redescription of the genus, descriptions of the six former species and three new species from the Northern Territory, T. tompsetti sp. nov., T. grossbechleri sp. nov. and T. weiri sp. nov. Lectotypes are designated for Tentegia quadriseriata Lea, 1912, Tentegia amplipennis Lea, 1930, T. quadrisignata Lea, 1910, T. anopla Lea, 1908, T. bisignata Pascoe and T. quinquesinuata Lea. All species are illustrated and their distributions are mapped, revealing the genus to occur in monsoonal and arid ecosystems of the Northern Territory, Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia and Western Australia. The dung-rolling behaviour of Tentegia stupida (Fabricius) is documented on video recordings for the first time.