Sisyphus is a genus of dung beetles comprising more than 90 species. Adults are characterised by their long hind legs.
Etymology The genus is named after Sisyphus, a mortal in Greek mythology who was condemned to the task of rolling a boulder up a hill for eternity.
Distribution Africa, Eurasia, Asia, Central America and Australia.
Habits Adults separate balls of dung from droppings and roll them some distance over the soil surface before burying them. Eggs are laid in the buried dung; this provides a source of food for the larvae once they hatch.
Species One common species is Sisyphus schaefferi (Linnaeus, 1758).
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