This Lawn Beetle (Pentodon algerinum) of the subspecies P.a. dispar, was found in our garage last night. They are found in oasis and grass filled wadies but has extended their range into gardens where they have become a pest as the larvae live underground and feed on the roots of grass.
Among the genus Pentodon species, P. algerinum has four subspieces: P.a. algerinum, P.a. bispinifrons, P.a. indicus and P.a. dispar. The subspieces seen in Saudi Arabia is P.a. dispar and this subspeices has a frontal suture which is mostly very fine but reaches the sides. The sides of the paramera are more curved with a triangular outer angle of apices that are mostly sharp. It is found in Turkey, Cyprus, Syria, Armenia, Iraq, Arabian Peninsula, Jordon, Israel and Palestine.
