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The family Scarabaeidae, as currently defined, consists of over 35,000 species of worldwide; they are often called scarabs or scarab beetles. The classification of this family has undergone significant change. Several groups formerly treated as subfamilies have been elevated to family rank (e.g., Bolboceratidae, Geotrupidae, Glaresidae, Glaphyridae, Hybosoridae, Ochodaeidae, and Pleocomidae), and some reduced to lower ranks. The subfamilies listed in this article are in accordance with those in Catalog of Life (2023).
Many species are fossorial, with legs adapted for digging. In some groups males (and sometimes females) have prominent horns on the head and/or Prothorax to fight over mates or resources. The largest fossil scarabaeid was Oryctoantiquus with a length of .Brett Ratcliffe, Dena M. Smith, Diane Marie Erwin. " Oryctoantiquus borealis, New Genus and Species from the Eocene of Oregon, U.S.A., the World's Oldest Fossil Dynastine and Largest Fossil Scarabaeid (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae)". 2009. The Coleopterists Bulletin 59(Mar 2005):127-135 DOI:10.1649/0010-065X(2005)0590127:OBNGAS2.0.CO;2 The C-shaped , called grubs, are pale yellow or white. Most adult beetles are nocturnal, although the flower chafers (Cetoniinae) and many leaf chafers (Rutelinae) are active during the day. The grubs mostly live underground or under debris, so are not exposed to sunlight. Many scarabs are scavengers that recycle dung, carrion, or decaying plant material. Others, such as the Japanese beetle, are Herbivore, wreaking havoc on various crops and vegetation.
Some of the well-known beetles from the Scarabaeidae are Japanese beetles, , , rose chafers (Australian, Cetonia aurata, and North American), Dynastinae, and Goliathus.
Several members of this family have structurally coloured shells which act as left-handed circular polarisers; this was the first-discovered example of circular polarization in nature.
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