Common dung beetle vs Zorro rojo

Aphodius pedellus compared with Vulpes vulpes

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common dung beetle	Zorro rojo
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Arthropoda (artrópodos)	Chordata (cordados)
Class	Insecta (insecto)	Mammalia (mamíferos)
Order	Coleoptera (coleópteros)	Carnivora (carnívoros)
Family	Scarabaeidae	Canidae (Dogs & Wolves)
Genus	Aphodius	Vulpes (Foxes)
Species	Aphodius pedellus	Vulpes vulpes

Evolutionary Relationship

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

Conservation Status

Common dung beetle

LC — Least Concern

Zorro rojo

LC — Least Concern

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common dung beetle	Zorro rojo
Diet	—	Omnivore
Average Lifespan	—	5 years
Average Length	—	70 cm
Average Weight	—	6.0 kg

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.

Zorro rojo

Habitat

Typically found in a wide range of habitat types.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Cyprus, Israel), Europe (8 countries), North America (United States), Oceania and the Pacific (Australia), and South America (Argentina).

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.

Zorro rojo

El zorro rojo (Vulpes vulpes) es el carnivoro salvaje mas ampliamente distribuido de la Tierra. Ha colonizado habitats que van desde la tundra artica hasta entornos urbanos en todo el hemisferio norte y en zonas donde fue introducido en Australia. Se reconoce por su pelaje rojizo, el vientre blanco y la espesa cola. Omnivoro altamente adaptable, el zorro rojo come de todo, desde conejos y ratones de campo hasta frutos y desperdicios humanos. Se comunica con mas de 40 vocalizaciones distintas.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 4 countries:

🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇺🇸 United States