Common dung beetle vs Ruff

Aphodius pedellus compared with Calidris pugnax

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common dung beetle	Ruff
Kingdom same	Animalia (動物)	Animalia (動物)
Phylum	Arthropoda (節足動物)	Chordata (脊索動物)
Class	Insecta (昆虫)	Aves (鳥類)
Order	Coleoptera (コウチュウ目)	Charadriiformes (チドリ目)
Family	Scarabaeidae	Scolopacidae
Genus	Aphodius	Calidris
Species	Aphodius pedellus	Calidris pugnax

Evolutionary Relationship

Common dung beetle and Ruff share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (動物)

Conservation Status

Common dung beetle

LC — Least Concern

Ruff

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common dung beetle	Ruff
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.

Ruff

Habitat

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

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Taiwan), Europe (4 countries), North America (United States), and South America (Colombia, Venezuela).

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.

Ruff

Ruff（Calidris pugnax）は IUCN レッドリストで軽度懸念（LC）に分類されている。分布域全体に広く分布し個体数も豊富で、個体群は安定しており差し迫った保全上の懸念はない。

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 4 countries:

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