Burning Brittlegill vs Common dung beetle

Russula badia compared with Aphodius pedellus

Key Differences

• Burning Brittlegill is Endangered while Common dung beetle is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Burning Brittlegill	Common dung beetle
Kingdom	Fungi (Fungi)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Russulales (Russulales)	Coleoptera (Beetles)
Family	Russulaceae	Scarabaeidae
Genus	Russula	Aphodius
Species	Russula badia	Aphodius pedellus

Conservation Status

Burning Brittlegill

EN — Endangered

Common dung beetle

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Burning Brittlegill	Common dung beetle
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Burning Brittlegill

Habitat

Typically found in forest floors, decomposing wood, and soil ecosystems.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Common dung beetle

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

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

Burning Brittlegill

The Burning Brittlegill (Russula badia) is a species in the genus Russula. It is currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in forest floors, decomposing wood, and soil ecosystems.

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 3 countries:

🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden