chestnut worm vs Common dung beetle

Lumbricus castaneus compared with Aphodius pedellus

Key Differences

• chestnut worm is Not Evaluated while Common dung beetle is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	chestnut worm	Common dung beetle
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Annelida (Segmented Worms)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Clitellata (Clitellata)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Crassiclitellata (Crassiclitellata)	Coleoptera (Beetles)
Family	Lumbricidae	Scarabaeidae
Genus	Lumbricus	Aphodius
Species	Lumbricus castaneus	Aphodius pedellus

Evolutionary Relationship

chestnut worm and Common dung beetle share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

chestnut worm

NE — Not Evaluated

Common dung beetle

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	chestnut worm	Common dung beetle
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

chestnut worm

Habitat

Native to Europe and North America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and 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.

chestnut worm

The chestnut worm (Lumbricus castaneus) is a species in the genus Lumbricus. Native to Europe and North America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

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