First new dung beetle species record in 105 years for the Faroe Islands
A new dung beetle species, Aphodius borealis, has been recorded by biologists at Tjóðsavnið for the first time from the Faroe Islands. This is the first record of a new dung beetle species in 105 years.
Fifteen individuals collected from sheep dung on Koltur in June 2019 were recently identified by Agnes-Katharina Kreiling as the dung beetle Aphodius borealis. It has been given the Faroese name Norðurtøðklukka. There are now four species of dung beetles (Aphodiinae) known from the Faroes: Aphodius lapponum (Roðatøðklukka), Aphodius ater (Koltøðklukka), Aphodius foetidus (Svávultøðklukka) and Aphodius borealis (Norðurtøðklukka). All four species develop in sheep and cow dung.