The beetles form bonded pairs and occupy permanent nests under the rainforest floor during their lifespan of only one year.
The male collects leaves and other plant material which is shredded by the female, turned into dung-like material and then shaped into small brood-balls housing the larvae.
During the larval growth period the parents regularly add food to the brood-balls, behaviour previously unrecorded for dung beetles.
The nests of Cephalodesmius are also inhabited by some 8 other insect species and mites - Macrocheles tenuirostris, Hunteracarus womersleyi, Histiostoma sp., Caloglyphus sp., Sinella sp., Anotylus sp.
and Leptocera myrmecophila - these are in a variety of relationships with the beetles.