Trox perlatus  (Goeze, 1777)

Not recorded in the U.K. since the 1930’s; formerly present in coastal south Dorset and last recorded among lamb skins and carrion on cliffs. On the continent among carcasses, animal remains and reportedly from carnivore faeces, also sometimes found under stones. On the west coast of France they have been recorded from among the debris below raptor nests where they feed on pellets and detritus. Adults have been recorded from March, April and October.

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7-12mm. Oval and very convex, pronotum and elytra separately rounded. Head densely punctured and microsculptured. Vertex with two raised tubercles in the centre. Eyes not visible from above; covered by a canthus which is fringed with broad, black setae.  The first two antennal segments are large and bear long, black setae. Segments 3-7 are small and pale red. Segments 8-10 form a broad and finely pubescent club. Pronotum rounded laterally, broadest a little behind the middle and fringed with broad, black scales. Surface microsculptured and punctured, disc with irregular longitudinal raised shiny areas. Front angles protruding. Hind margin widely sinuate and fringed with close-set long, black scales. Elytra very convex, the apex not visible from above. Surface with 6 more or less regular rows of raised, shiny areas, each with 4-6 broad, black scales around the posterior margin. Between these raised areas are 2 or 3 fine longitudinal raised lines that continue almost to the apex. Lateral margins bordered and fringed with black scales. Front tibiae with 3-5 large teeth on outer edge, inner edge with rows of stout black spines. Outer apical margin expanded beyond a strong spur on the inside. Middle and hind tibiae with rows of backwardly pointing black spines and each with 2 well developed terminal spurs. Tarsi 5,5,5. Segments 1-4 with short and stout spines at the apex. Claws long and weakly curved, without teeth.