Blister Buttercup vs Common dung beetle

Ranunculus sceleratus compared with Aphodius pedellus

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Blister Buttercup	Common dung beetle
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Ranunculales (Ranunculales)	Coleoptera (Beetles)
Family	Ranunculaceae	Scarabaeidae
Genus	Ranunculus	Aphodius
Species	Ranunculus sceleratus	Aphodius pedellus

Conservation Status

Blister Buttercup

LC — Least Concern

Common dung beetle

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Blister Buttercup	Common dung beetle
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Blister Buttercup

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, tropical and subtropical coniferous forests, and temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, among 8 distinct biome types spanning the Afrotropic and Indomalayan and Palearctic realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (Zimbabwe), Asia (Georgia, Pakistan, Taiwan), Europe (7 countries), North America (United States), Oceania and the Pacific (Australia), and South America (Chile).

Common dung beetle

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and United States.

Blister Buttercup

The Blister Buttercup (Ranunculus sceleratus) is a species in the genus Ranunculus. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, tropical and subtropical coniferous forests, and temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, among 8 distinct biome types spanning the Afrotropic and

Common dung beetle

<em>Aphodius pedellus</em>, a species of dung beetle in the family Scarabaeidae, is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN Red List, indicating a stable conservation outlook across its known range. The species has been documented in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United States, with its distribution spanning virtually all terrestrial and freshwater biome types. As a member of the Aphodiini tribe, <em>Aphodius pedellus</em> typically inhabits pastures, meadows, and woodland edges where mammalian dung is available, as dung beetles in this genus rely on feces as both a breeding medium and a food resource. These beetles play a critical role in nutrient cycling and soil aeration, breaking down organic waste and accelerating the return of nutrients to the soil. Their burrowing activity beneath dung pats enhances soil structure and improves water infiltration. <em>Aphodius pedellus</em> is part of a guild of coprophagous insects that collectively support healthy agricultural and natural ecosystems across temperate Europe and North America. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 4 countries:

🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇺🇸 United States