coastal primrose vs Common dung beetle

Primula stricta compared with Aphodius pedellus

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	coastal primrose	Common dung beetle
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Ericales (Ericales)	Coleoptera (Beetles)
Family	Primulaceae	Scarabaeidae
Genus	Primula	Aphodius
Species	Primula stricta	Aphodius pedellus

Conservation Status

coastal primrose

LC — Least Concern

Common dung beetle

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

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

Habitat & Geographic Range

coastal primrose

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Range

Distributed across Canada, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden.

Common dung beetle

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

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

coastal primrose

Coastal primrose (Primula stricta) is a small perennial herb in the family Primulaceae, distributed across Arctic and subarctic coastal habitats in Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Svalbard, and northern Russia. It grows on rocky shores, coastal meadows, salt marshes, and gravelly riverbanks at high latitudes, often in areas subject to periodic saltwater inundation or spray. Plants produce a basal rosette of oblong, slightly mealy leaves and erect scapes bearing small, pale pink to lilac flowers with a yellow eye, typical of the genus. Primula stricta is one of the northernmost-occurring primroses, adapted to the short growing seasons and cold temperatures of the high Arctic. It relies on insect pollination when conditions allow, though like many Arctic plants, it may set seed through self-fertilisation. The species is assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN, with populations spread across a vast circumpolar range. It faces long-term pressure from climate change, which is altering the phenology and hydrology of Arctic coastal habitats. It is considered an indicator species for intact high-latitude coastal 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 2 countries:

🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden