A new species of dung beetle discovered
in Arunachal Pradesh’s Tawang
district.
The new discovery named ‘Enoplotrupes
tawangensis’ is a 27-mm-long insect, relatively bigger than most dung beetles.
The shining dark blue insect was first examined
by two scientists from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) — Kailash Chandra
and Devanshu Gupta.
Czech scientist David Král confirmed that he
found a similar specimen from Bhutan which borders the frontier state.
Dung beetles feed exclusively or partially on
feces.
They belong to the super family called
‘Scarabaeoidea’ and have clubbed antennae and pro-tibiae (pro-legs) modified
for burrowing dung inside the soil.
The species plays an important in agriculture
and tropical forests.
They bury and consume dung and in turn improves
nutrient recycling and soil structure.
Further, they also help in seed dispersal and
protect livestock from pests by removing dung from nearby.
About Arunachal Pradesh
Capital: Itanagar
Chief minister: Pema Khandu
Official languages: English;
Population: 12.6 lakhs
