Distribution: This species was described from Inhambane in Mozambique, but, reportedly, has a wide distribution, primarily in eastern savannas, from South Africa to Somalia (Schoolmeesters 2011). As verified records are from deep sand, pending a taxonomic revision, the species is presumed to have a distribution along the east coastal plains and possibly inland up sandy river valleys (Schoolmeesters 2011). The map shows both the largely verified range in southeast Africa and the overall claimed range along the entire eastern seaboard of Africa.
Habitat and Ecology: This diurnal ball-rolling species has been recorded only sporadically from deep sand in savanna woodland along the eastern coastal regions of southern Africa. It has been recorded on carrion (impala carcass) as well as unspecified dung types. These data are too limited in order to deduce the species' ecological associations.
In southern Africa, the species has been recorded in a block of savanna ecoregions comprising Zambezian and Mopane woodlands (AT0725), Southern Africa bushveld (AT0717), Maputaland coastal forest mosaic (AT0199), and Southern Zanzibar-Inhambane coastal forest mosaic (AT0128) (ecoregions based on Olson et al. 2001). In East Africa, it has been recorded in Northern Acacia-Commiphorabushlands and thickets (AT0711) and Somali Acacia-Commiphora bushlands and thickets (AT0715).
Some environmental characteristics for thirteen locality records are as follows: altitude: mean: 268 ± 395 (S.D.), range: 0-1,301 m; annual rainfall: mean: 696 ± 214 (S.D.), range: 304-971 mm; annual temperature: mean: 23.5 ± 1.9 (S.D.), range: 21.0-28.3oC (max. + min. / 2).