New Scientist Reports

In humans as in other animals, it’s usually the male of the species who bears arms. But in the epic battle for dung, it’s female beetles that have resorted to horned aggression.

Nicola Watson and Leigh Simmons of the University of Western Australia, Perth, pitted female dung beetles (Onthophagus sagittarius) against each other in a race for dung – a valuable resource that provides nutrients for their eggs. Matched for body size, females with bigger horns managed to collect more dung and so provide better for their offspring.

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