vs Common dung beetle

Clostridium carnis compared with Aphodius pedellus

Key Differences

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

Taxonomic Classification

Rank		Common dung beetle
Kingdom	Bacteria (Bacteria)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Firmicutes_A	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Clostridia (Clostridia)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Clostridiales (Clostridiales)	Coleoptera (Beetles)
Family	Clostridiaceae	Scarabaeidae
Genus	Clostridium	Aphodius
Species	Clostridium carnis	Aphodius pedellus

Conservation Status

NE — Not Evaluated

Common dung beetle

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

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

Habitat & Geographic Range

Habitat

Native to Asia, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Found in Taiwan.

Common dung beetle

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

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

Clostridium carnis is an anaerobic, endospore-forming bacterium in the family Clostridiaceae typically isolated from meat (caro/carnis, Latin for meat) and animal tissues, as well as soil and sediments. Like other clostridia, it is a strictly anaerobic, Gram-positive rod that survives adverse conditions by forming heat-resistant endospores. C. carnis is associated with putrefaction processes in proteinaceous substrates, producing proteolytic enzymes that break down meat proteins, contributing to gas gangrene and tissue necrosis in infected wounds under anaerobic conditions. It is considered one of the histotoxic clostridia capable of causing wound infections in humans and animals, though it is less clinically significant than C. perfringens or C. septicum. Isolated from soil, intestinal contents, and meat products, C. carnis contributes to anaerobic decomposition of organic nitrogen compounds, releasing ammonia and simpler organic acids back into the environment. Its resistance to environmental conditions through sporulation makes it persistent in soil environments associated with animal husbandry and meat processing facilities.

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.