About Onthophagus nuchicornis (Linnaeus, 1758)
Onthophagus nuchicornis is a species of dung beetle that belongs to the family Scarabaeidae. This species is found across both Europe and North America. While it is classified as Vulnerable in the United Kingdom, it is common and abundant across North America. O. nuchicornis has been used as a model organism for ecotoxicological research on the chemical ivermectin. In these studies, low levels of ivermectin exposure stimulate different biological endpoints, such as dung burial, while high levels of exposure impair these same endpoints. Like other species in the Onthophagus genus, O. nuchicornis larvae bulk-feed inside underground brood balls. Adult beetles consume both dead and living microbial biomass found within dung. This species can successfully reproduce using dung from a variety of North American mammal species, including red fox, moose, and bobcat.
