Deltochilini

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Cladus: Protostomia
Cladus: Ecdysozoa
Cladus: Panarthropoda
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Classis: Insecta
Cladus: Dicondylia
Subclassis: Pterygota
Cladus: Metapterygota
Infraclassis: Neoptera
Cladus: Eumetabola
Cladus: Endopterygota
Superordo: Coleopterida
Ordo: Coleoptera
Subordo: Polyphaga
Infraordo: Scarabaeiformia
Superfamilia: Scarabaeoidea

Familia: Scarabaeidae
Subfamilia: Scarabaeinae
Tribus: Deltochilini
Genera: Amphistomus – Ausmontins – Grebennikovius – Monoplistes – Namakwanus – Namaphilus – ...
Name

Deltochilini
Synonymy

Canthonini
References

Deschodt, C.M. & Davis, A.L.V. 2018. New deltochiline (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) taxa associated with hyrax dung in arid south western Namibia. Zootaxa 4450(1): 66–76. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4450.1.4 Paywall Reference page.
Mlambo, S., Scholtz, C.H. & Deschodt, C.M. 2019. Grebennikovius, a new genus to accommodate Epactoides basilewskyi (Balthasar, 1960) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Deltochilini). Zootaxa 4544(1): 113–118. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4544.1.6 Paywall Reference page.
Puker, A.; Correa, C.M.A.; Korasaki, V. 2014: Deltochilini and Phanaeini dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) in introduced and native ecosystems of Brazil. Journal of natural history, DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2014.908969 Reference page.

Deltochilini (or Canthonini) is a tribe of scarab beetles, in the dung beetle subfamily (Scarabaeinae). Members of this group vary widely in size (2–33 mm long) and shape, but were thought to be derived from an ancient ball-rolling lineage. The outer edges of the front tibiae have less than four teeth. The grouping based on these characteristics has, however, been found to have little phylogenetic validity, and the placement of several genera in the tribe is likely to change.[1]

Taxonomy

There has been some controversy regarding the valid name for this tribe. Deltochilini is the senior name, and has precedence under the ICZN, but in 2006, Smith suggested that the name Canthonini, though junior, might be preserved under Code Article 35.5, which can be used to preserve junior names if they are higher in taxonomic rank than the senior names of constituent taxa.[2] However, this Article does not apply when two names are competing for the same taxonomic rank (as in this case, both being used at the rank of tribe), so this conclusion has been reversed by subsequent classifications, restoring Deltochilini as the valid name.[3]

The tribe comprises about 800 species in 120 genera:[1] They constitute a high proportion of the dung beetle diversity in many parts of the world; more than 35% of the genera in the Americas, Australia, Madagascar and many islands. However, in the Afro-Eurasian regions, they make up less than 20% of the genera.[1]
Genera

Agamopus
Aleiantus
Aliuscanthoniola
Amphistomus
Anachalcos
Anisocanthon
Anomiopus
Anonthobium
Aphengoecus
Apotolamprus
Aptenocanthon
Apterepilissus
Arachnodes
Aulacopris
Baloghonthobium
Bohepilissus
Boletoscapter
Byrrhidium
Caeconthobium
Cambefortantus
Canthochilum
Canthodimorpha
Canthon
Canthonella
Canthonidia
Canthonosoma
Canthotrypes
Cephalodesmius
Circellium
Coproecus
Cryptocanthon
Deltepilissus
Deltochilum
Diorygopyx
Drogo
Dwesasilvasedis
Endroedyolus
Epactoides
Epilissus
Epirinus
Eudinopus
Falsignambia
Gyronotus
Hammondantus
Hansreia
Holocanthon
Ignambia
Janssensantus
Lambroma
Lepanus
Macropanelus
Madaphacosoma
Malagoniella
Megathopa
Megathoposoma
Melanocanthon
Mentophilus
Monoplistes
Namakwanus
Nanos
Nebulasilvius
Nesovinsonia
Ochicanthon
Odontoloma
Oficanthon
Onthobium
Outenikwanus
Panelus
Paracanthon
Parvuhowdenius
Peckolus
Penalus
Phacosomoides
Pseudignambia
Pseudocanthon
Pseudonthobium
Pseudophacosoma
Pycnopanelus
Saphobiamorpha
Saphobius
Sauvagesinella
Scybalocanthon
Scybalophagus
Sikorantus
Silvaphilus
Sinapisoma
Sphaerocanthon
Streblopus
Sylvicanthon
Tanzanolus
Temnoplectron
Tesserodon
Tesserodoniella
Tetraechma
Vulcanocanthon
Xenocanthon
Zonocopris

Ecology

Most species are coprophagous, but some feed on carrion, others on fungi, and the smaller species may utilize leaf litter (saprophagous). They are largely diurnal.[1]
References

Scholtz, Clarke H.; Davis, Adrian L. V.; Kryger, Ute (2009). Evolutionary biology and conservation of dung beetles. Sofia-Moscow: Pensoft Pub. ISBN 9789546425171.
Smith, A.B.T. (2006) A Review of the Family-group Names for the Superfamily Scarabaeoidea (Coleoptera) with Corrections to Nomenclature and a Current Classification. The Coleopterists Bulletin, 60:144-204.
Bouchard, P.; Bousquet, Y.; Davies, A.; Alonso-Zarazaga, M.; Lawrence, J.; Lyal, C.; Newton, A.; Reid, C.; Schmitt, M.; Ślipiński, A.; Smith, A. (2011). "Family-group names in Coleoptera (Insecta)". ZooKeys (88): 1–972. doi:10.3897/zookeys.88.807. PMC 3088472. PMID 21594053.