Common cattle grub vs Common dung beetle

Hypoderma lineatum compared with Aphodius pedellus

Key Differences

• Common cattle grub is Extinct while Common dung beetle is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common cattle grub	Common dung beetle
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class same	Insecta (Insects)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Diptera (Diptera)	Coleoptera (Beetles)
Family	Oestridae	Scarabaeidae
Genus	Hypoderma	Aphodius
Species	Hypoderma lineatum	Aphodius pedellus

Evolutionary Relationship

Common cattle grub and Common dung beetle share a common ancestor at the Class level: Insecta. (Insects)

Conservation Status

Common cattle grub

EX — Extinct

Common dung beetle

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

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

Habitat & Geographic Range

Common cattle grub

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Japan, 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.

Common cattle grub

<em>Hypoderma lineatum</em>, commonly known as the common cattle grub, is a parasitic fly species with documented occurrences in Japan, Norway, Sweden, and the United States. It typically inhabited terrestrial and freshwater environments, often associated with cattle and other large ungulates on which its larvae develop as subcutaneous parasites. The species is classified as Extinct on the IUCN Red List, indicating that it is no longer known to exist in the wild. Common cattle grub belongs to the genus <em>Hypoderma</em> within the family Oestridae. Adult flies do not feed and are short-lived, while larvae burrow under the skin of host animals, causing a condition known as hypodermosis or warble fly infestation. The decline and extinction of this species has been linked to widespread and highly effective veterinary treatment programs targeting warble fly larvae in cattle, which drastically reduced host populations and ultimately eliminated the species. Biological traits such as average lifespan, body length, and mass of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.

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:

🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇺🇸 United States