Chanterelle vs Common dung beetle

Cantharellus cibarius compared with Aphodius pedellus

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Chanterelle	Common dung beetle
Kingdom	Fungi (Fungi)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Cantharellales (Cantharellales)	Coleoptera (Beetles)
Family	Hydnaceae	Scarabaeidae
Genus	Cantharellus	Aphodius
Species	Cantharellus cibarius	Aphodius pedellus

Conservation Status

Chanterelle

LC — Least Concern

Common dung beetle

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Chanterelle	Common dung beetle
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Chanterelle

Habitat

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

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Taiwan), Europe (5 countries), and North America (United States).

Common dung beetle

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

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

Chanterelle

The Chanterelle (Cantharellus cibarius) is a species in the genus Cantharellus. It is currently classified as Least Concern 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 4 countries:

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