It is a robust and oval-shaped beetle, measuring between 12 and 22 millimeters in length. The exoskeleton is heavily sclerotized, displaying a shiny black or jet-black coloration, occasionally reflecting faint purplish or coppery hues under direct light. The broad, flattened head is highly adapted for digging and exhibits pronounced sexual dimorphism. Well-developed males possess a curved cephalic horn on the clypeus and a distinct anterior declivity on the pronotum, bordered by blunt tubercles, whereas females feature a much-reduced bidentate tubercle and an evenly convex pronotum. The pronotum is densely punctured, and the elytra bear deep, well-defined striae with finely micro-punctured interstriae. Its legs are of the fossorial type, with the foretibiae strongly dentate along the outer edge, making them highly efficient at digging and shifting compacted soils.

Geographical distribution: This species is widely distributed across the southern regions of South America. Its presence is extensively documented in the temperate and subtropical zones of Argentina (particularly in the provinces of Buenos Aires, Córdoba, Santa Fe, Entre Ríos, and La Pampa), southern Brazil (including the states of Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, and Paraná), throughout Uruguay, and across several regions of Paraguay.

Habitat: It primarily inhabits open grasslands, savannas, shrubby steppes, and most notably, livestock pastures and modified agricultural lands. It exhibits a strong preference for loamy-sandy or clay-loam soils that facilitate deep burrowing, while generally avoiding overly rocky terrains or areas prone to long-term waterlogging.

Feeding: This taxon is strictly coprophagous in both its larval and adult stages. It shows a marked preference for the dung of large introduced herbivores, especially cattle and horses, although it also exploits the droppings of native mammals. Adults feed primarily on the liquid fractions and fine organic particles of fresh manure, filtering out coarse fibers.

Behavior: It exhibits predominantly nocturnal and crepuscular habits, flying actively during these hours in search of fresh dung, guided by volatile chemical cues. It belongs to the functional group of tunneling (paracoprid) dung beetles. Its burrowing activity plays a key ecological role by aerating the soil, enhancing water infiltration, and incorporating organic nutrients into deeper soil layers, which accelerates dung decomposition and controls pest fly populations.

Reproduction: The reproductive cycle begins when a breeding pair colonizes a fresh dung pat. Together, the male and female excavate vertical tunnels that can reach depths of 20 to 50 centimeters directly beneath or adjacent to the dung. At the end of these tunnels, they construct subterranean chambers where they mold compacted dung masses known as brood balls. The female deposits a single egg in a specialized air chamber within each ball. The larvae undergo complete metamorphosis, feeding on the interior of the ball until pupation and subsequent emergence as adults, a process heavily synchronized with the warmer temperatures of spring and summer.

Conservation status: It is not currently listed under any threat category on the IUCN Red List and is considered common and abundant throughout its range. However, local populations face significant threats from the widespread use of veterinary parasiticides, particularly ivermectin, which passes into the dung and exhibits high toxicity, causing larval mortality and reducing adult fitness.