Onthophagus (Palaeonthophagus) opacicollis Reitter 1893 - Dung beetle - Cyprus

Superfamily: Scarabaeoidea

Family: Scarabaeidae


Description
Onthophagus species can reach a length of 5.5–11 millimetres (0.22–0.43 in). These small beetles are oval shaped, the color is usually black or reddish-brown. Sometimes the pronotum has a weak metallic sheen. The males of some species have on the heads horns that they use to fight with each other to gain mating rights with females. Some males do not have horns, and therefore do not come into the fight, but have larger gonads. This adaption reduces direct competition with horned males.

Onthophagus can pull a weight of 1141 times its own body mass and is considered the strongest animal on earth on a body weight to lift ratio.

Economic value
Dung beetles have been utilized in the breakdown of manure on sheep and dairy farms worldwide. These beetles pull the manure into the ground to create their brood balls, which they use as egg chambers. This increases grazing space for cattle, reduces habitats for flies and bacteria, and reduces the need for chemical fertilizers. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (Edited). 

Photos at Cape Apostolos Andreas 19/3/2016, by Michael Hadjiconstantis. 

Male