Castor bean tick vs Common dung beetle

Ixodes ricinus compared with Aphodius pedellus

Key Differences

• Castor bean tick is Not Evaluated while Common dung beetle is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Castor bean tick	Common dung beetle
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Arachnida (Arachnids)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Ixodida (Ixodida)	Coleoptera (Beetles)
Family	Ixodidae	Scarabaeidae
Genus	Ixodes	Aphodius
Species	Ixodes ricinus	Aphodius pedellus

Evolutionary Relationship

Castor bean tick and Common dung beetle share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Arthropoda. (Arthropods)

Conservation Status

Castor bean tick

NE — Not Evaluated

Common dung beetle

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Castor bean tick	Common dung beetle
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Castor bean tick

Habitat

Typically found in terrestrial habitats from forests to deserts.

Range

Found across Asia (Taiwan) and Europe (7 countries).

Common dung beetle

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

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

Castor bean tick

The Castor bean tick (Ixodes ricinus) is a species in the genus Ixodes. Typically found in terrestrial habitats from forests to deserts.

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