Common dung beetle vs

Aphodius pedellus compared with Mollisia ramealis

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common dung beetle
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Ascomycota (Sac Fungi)
Class	Insecta (Insects)	Leotiomycetes (Leotiomycetes)
Order	Coleoptera (Beetles)	Helotiales (Helotiales)
Family	Scarabaeidae	Mollisiaceae
Genus	Aphodius	Mollisia
Species	Aphodius pedellus	Mollisia ramealis

Conservation Status

Common dung beetle

LC — Least Concern

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

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

Habitat & Geographic Range

Common dung beetle

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

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

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

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.

Mollisia ramealis is a small, grey to olive-grey disc fungus producing cup-shaped apothecia on dead herbaceous and woody plant material. It inhabits temperate forests and hedgerows across Europe, growing on dead twigs and stems. This saprotrophic ascomycete decomposes dead plant tissue in moist forest understory environments.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 3 countries:

🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden