Common dung beetle vs Northern Emerald

Aphodius pedellus compared with Somatochlora arctica

Key Differences

• Common dung beetle is Least Concern while Northern Emerald is Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common dung beetle	Northern Emerald
Kingdom same	Animalia (동물)	Animalia (동물)
Phylum same	Arthropoda (절지동물)	Arthropoda (절지동물)
Class same	Insecta (곤충)	Insecta (곤충)
Order	Coleoptera (딱정벌레목)	Odonata (잠자리)
Family	Scarabaeidae	Corduliidae
Genus	Aphodius	Somatochlora
Species	Aphodius pedellus	Somatochlora arctica

Evolutionary Relationship

Common dung beetle and Northern Emerald share a common ancestor at the Class level: Insecta. (곤충)

Conservation Status

Common dung beetle

LC — Least Concern

Northern Emerald

EN — Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common dung beetle	Northern Emerald
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.

Northern Emerald

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Ukraine. 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.

Northern Emerald

Northern Emerald(Somatochlora arctica, 북방초록잠자리)는 IUCN 적색목록에서 위기(EN)로 분류된다. 야생에서 높은 멸종 위기에 처해 있으며, 개체군이 크게 감소하고 생존에 지속적인 위협이 가해지고 있다.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 3 countries:

🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden