Common dung beetle vs Rundsporiger Stachelsporling

Aphodius pedellus compared with Trechispora microspora

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common dung beetle	Rundsporiger Stachelsporling
Kingdom	Animalia (Tier)	Fungi (Pilze)
Phylum	Arthropoda (Gliederfüßer)	Basidiomycota (Ständerpilze)
Class	Insecta (Insekten)	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)
Order	Coleoptera (Käfer)	Trechisporales (Trechisporales)
Family	Scarabaeidae	Sistotremataceae
Genus	Aphodius	Trechispora
Species	Aphodius pedellus	Trechispora microspora

Conservation Status

Common dung beetle

LC — Least Concern

Rundsporiger Stachelsporling

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common dung beetle	Rundsporiger Stachelsporling
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.

Rundsporiger Stachelsporling

Habitat

Typically found in forest floors, decomposing wood, and soil ecosystems.

Range

Found across Europe (5 countries) and South America (Brazil).

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.

Rundsporiger Stachelsporling

Trechispora microspora is a corticioid fungus producing very small spores, as its name indicates. It grows as a thin, white to cream-colored crust on the underside of decaying hardwood and conifer logs in temperate and boreal forests. This saprotrophic fungus decomposes dead woody material, contributing to nutrient cycling in forest ecosystems.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 3 countries:

🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden