Guidance Document on the Determination of the Toxicity of a Test Chemical to the Dung Beetles Aphodius constans and Onthophagus taurus

This document presents the OECD Guidance Document on the Determination of the Toxicity of a Test Chemical to the Dung Beetles Aphodius Constans and Onthophagus taurus. This test method is designed to assess the effects of a test chemical, e.g. veterinary pharmaceuticals, to dung dwelling life stages of dung beetles. The possible impact of the test chemical spiked into the dung on the development of the beetle first instar larvae is compared to the negative control(s). A positive control should be tested (see Paragraph 11). The test chemical is mixed with dung, to which the larvae are added. This is an updated version of the Guidance Document (No. 122 in the Series on Testing and Assessment), originally published in 2010 for Aphodius constans only, under the title: Guidance Document on the Determination of the Toxicity of a Test Chemical to the Dung Beetle Aphodius Constans.