Pock-marked Scarab* (Scarabaeus cicatricosus)

OTHER NAMES: * This species has no official English name, this name is a direct translation of the Latin one, but is entirely speculative.

Latin Etymology: Scarabaeus ("scarab") cicatricosus ("pock marked")

Adult Pock-marked Scarab* (Scarabaeus cicatricosus) at Donana, Spain - November 2011

Featured Subspecies: ?
Length: ?
UK Status: Not Evaluated / IUCN Red List: Near Threatened

This species took quite a bit of work to identify despite being by British standards a large and charismatic beetle species - it is a Scarab Beetle - a dung beetle and was abundant at El Rocio during out visit.  I eventually identified it by finding a scientific article about the dung beetle species of the site and then looking up photos of every species listed.  They feed on dung, and have the famous dung rolling technique associated with beetles of their family.  These Beetles however weren't doing that that we saw, but merely wandering around in the sandy scrub of the surroundings.  Though this species has no official English name, I was very pleased that the name I was going to propose for it turned out to be an exact translation of the latin name anyway.

Related Species:
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Scarabaeidae
Genus: Scarabaeus
SUBSPECIES: None - monotypic

 - Sighting Locations -

SPAIN - Spanish - ?

Scarce but locally abundant resident where suitable habitat exists.

 - SEVILLE 2011 TRIP: Numerous around El Rocio

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Green Chafer (Anomala albopilosa)

OTHER NAMES: Hawaiian Scarab

Latin Etymology: Anomala ("anomalous") albopilosa ("white hair?")

Adult Green Chafer (subspecies A. a. yashiroi) at Osaka, Japan - July 2013

Featured Subspecies: Anomala albopilosa yashiroi
Length: 15-26mm
UK Status: Not Evaluated / IUCN Red List: Not Yet Evaluated

During our original visit to Kyoto, this species was by far the most common species of large noticeable beetle - they were seen pretty much anywhere, including on streets with little greenery having landed on the pavement for reasons best known to themselves.  This particular individual had crashed into the fountain outside of Osaka Castle, so I proceeded to rescue it with the stick in the photo before putting it in the grass to dry off.  They are apparently a bit of an agricultural pest I have subsequently found out, but also are a major food source for at least several species of bat.

Related Species:
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Scarabaeidae
Genus: Anomola
SUBSPECIES: A. a.  albopilosa, A. a. gracilis, A. a. sakishimana, A. a. trachypyga, A. a. yashiroi, A. a. yonaguniana

 - Sighting Locations -

JAPAN - Japanese - アオドウガネ  /  Aodougane

A locally common resident.

 - KYOTO/OSAKA 2013 TRIP: Common throughout Kyoto and Osaka

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .