Common dung beetle vs Spotted Crake

Aphodius pedellus compared with Porzana porzana

Key Differences

• Common dung beetle is Least Concern while Spotted Crake is Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common dung beetle	Spotted Crake
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Insecta (Insects)	Aves (Birds)
Order	Coleoptera (Beetles)	Gruiformes (Gruiformes)
Family	Scarabaeidae	Rallidae
Genus	Aphodius	Porzana
Species	Aphodius pedellus	Porzana porzana

Evolutionary Relationship

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

Conservation Status

Common dung beetle

LC — Least Concern

Spotted Crake

EN — Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common dung beetle	Spotted Crake
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.

Spotted Crake

Habitat

Typically found in various aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environments.

Range

Found across Asia (Taiwan) and Europe (5 countries). Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

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.

Spotted Crake

Spotted Crake (Porzana porzana) is classified as Endangered (EN) on the IUCN Red List. At high risk of extinction in the wild, with significant population decline and ongoing threats to survival.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 3 countries:

🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden