Coiban Mastuff Bat vs Common dung beetle

Molossus coibensis compared with Aphodius pedellus

Taxonomic Classification

Rank Coiban Mastuff Bat Common dung beetle
Kingdom same Animalia (hewan) Animalia (hewan)
Phylum Chordata (Chordates) Arthropoda (Artropoda)
Class Mammalia (mamalia) Insecta (serangga)
Order Chiroptera (Kelelawar) Coleoptera (kumbang)
Family Molossidae Scarabaeidae
Genus Molossus Aphodius
Species Molossus coibensis Aphodius pedellus

Evolutionary Relationship

Coiban Mastuff Bat and Common dung beetle share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (hewan)

Conservation Status

Coiban Mastuff Bat

LC — Least Concern

Common dung beetle

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute Coiban Mastuff Bat Common dung beetle
Diet
Average Lifespan
Average Length
Average Weight

Habitat & Geographic Range

Coiban Mastuff Bat

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Distributed across Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela.

Common dung beetle

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

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

Coiban Mastuff Bat

The Coiban Mastuff Bat (Molossus coibensis) is a small free-tailed bat in the family Molossidae, named for Coiba Island off the Pacific coast of Panama, where specimens were first collected. Members of the genus Molossus are robust, fast-flying insectivores adapted to open-air foraging above the forest canopy and over water, characterised by narrow wings and a tail that extends beyond the patagium (wing membrane). Molossus coibensis inhabits lowland tropical forests and adjacent open habitats in Central America and northwestern South America, with confirmed records from Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, and Panama, indicating a distributional range that extends well beyond its type locality on Coiba Island. Like other mastiff bats, it roosts in crevices within buildings, rock faces, and hollow trees, emerging at dusk to pursue aerial insects at speed. The species feeds primarily on large beetles, moths, and other night-flying insects, typically hunted high above the forest. It is assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN based on its relatively wide range and tolerance of modified habitats. Molossus coibensis was long treated as a subspecies of Molossus molossus before being recognised as a distinct species based on morphological and molecular evidence. Ecological and life-history data specific to this taxon remain limited.

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.

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