Typhaeus typhoeus (Linnaeus, 1758)
(Minotaur Beetle)

Taxonomic hierarchy:
SpeciesTyphaeus typhoeus (Minotaur Beetle)
FamilyGEOTRUPIDAE (dumbledor beetles)
SuperfamilySCARABAEOIDEA (scarabs, dung and stag beetles)
Series Scarabaeiformia (scarabs, dung and stag beetles)
SuborderPOLYPHAGA (mainly terrestrial beetles)
OrderCOLEOPTERA (beetles)
Division Endopterygota (bees, beetles, flies, moths and other insects with wings developing internally)
InfraclassNeoptera (bees, beetles, flies, grasshoppers, moths and other advanced insects)
SubclassPTERYGOTA (bees, beetles, dragonflies, flies, grasshoppers, moths and other winged insects)
ClassINSECTA (true insects)
SubphylumHEXAPODA (insects and other 6-legged organisms)
PhylumARTHROPODA (arthropods)
SuperphylumECDYSOZOA (skin shedders)
CladeBilateria (bilaterally symmetrical animals)
SubkingdomEUMETAZOA (metazoans)
KingdomANIMALIA (animals)
DomainEukaryota (eukaryotes)
LifeBIOTA (living things)
Records of Typhaeus typhoeus (Minotaur Beetle) :
1: Typhaeus typhoeus (Minotaur Beetle)
13 Mar 2024 OSGR: SU00 50° 50’ N, 1° 60’ W Vice County: Dorset (VC 9) England
on path
Image 1: Male - dorsal viewImage 2: Male - dorsal view (2)
2: Typhaeus typhoeus (Minotaur Beetle)
1 Jan 2005 OSGR: SU56 51° 20’ N, 1° 10’ W Vice County: Berks (VC 22) England
Female, at security light, 1am, 1 Jan 05
Image 1: Female - antero-dorsal view - close-upImage 2: Female - dorsal viewImage 3: Female - dorsal view - pale backgroundImage 4: Female - dorsal view - pale background (2)Image 5: Female - dorsal view - pale background (3)Image 6: Female - dorso-lateral viewImage 7: Female - latero-dorsal viewImage 8: Female - latero-dorsal view (2)Image 9: Female - latero-dorsal view (3)Image 10: Female - latero-dorsal view (4)Image 11: Female - latero-dorsal view (5)Image 12: Female - ventral viewImage 13: Female - ventral view (2)Image 14: Female - anterior view - enlargedImage 15: Female - anterior view - enlarged (2)Image 16: Female - anterior view - enlarged (3)Image 17: Female - head and antennae - dorsal view - enlargedImage 18: Female - head and antennae - dorsal view - enlarged - pale backgroundImage 19: Female - head and thoracic armature - dorsal view - enlarged - pale backgroundImage 20: Female - head and thoracic armature - dorsal view - enlarged - pale background (2)Image 21: Female - head and thorax - enlargedImage 22: Female - head - dorsal view - enlarged - pale backgroundImage 23: Female - head - lateral view - enlarged - pale backgroundImage 24: Female - head - lateral view - enlarged - pale background (2)
3: Typhaeus typhoeus (Minotaur Beetle)
15 Jul 2000 OSGR: SU56 51° 20’ N, 1° 20’ W Vice County: Berks (VC 22) England
Male, found dead on path
Image 1: Male - dorsal viewImage 2: Male - dorsal view (2)Image 3: Male - head and front of thorax - dorsal view - close-upImage 4: Male head and front of thorax - dorsal view - close-upImage 5: Male - scutellum and base of elytra - close-up
4: Typhaeus typhoeus (Minotaur Beetle) IDENTIFICATION UNCERTAIN
29 Apr 1978 OSGR: SU94 51° 10’ N, 0° 40’ W Vice County: Surrey (VC 17) England
Burrow
Image 1: Entrance to burrow

Identification Works

AuthorYearTitleSource
Cooter, J. & Barclay M.V.L. (eds) 2006 A Coleopterist’s handbook The Amateur Entomolgist, 11, Fourth Edition edition, 439pp, Amateur Entomologists’ Society

Typhaeus typhoeus (Minotaur Beetle) may also be included in identification literature listed under the following higher taxa:

NBNNBN (data.nbn.org.uk) has a distribution map for Typhaeus typhoeus (Minotaur Beetle)
BioInfoBioInfo (www.bioinfo.org.uk) has 9 host/parasite/foodplant and/or other relationships for Typhaeus typhoeus (Minotaur Beetle)
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