Canadian beaver vs Common dung beetle

Castor canadensis compared with Aphodius pedellus

Key Differences

• Canadian beaver is Not Evaluated while Common dung beetle is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Canadian beaver	Common dung beetle
Kingdom same	Animalia (hayvan)	Animalia (hayvan)
Phylum	Chordata (Kordalılar)	Arthropoda (Eklem bacaklılar)
Class	Mammalia (memeliler)	Insecta (böcek)
Order	Rodentia (kemiriciler)	Coleoptera (Kın kanatlılar)
Family	Castoridae (Beavers)	Scarabaeidae
Genus	Castor (Beavers)	Aphodius
Species	Castor canadensis	Aphodius pedellus

Evolutionary Relationship

Canadian beaver and Common dung beetle share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (hayvan)

Conservation Status

Canadian beaver

NE — Not Evaluated

Population: ~15.0M

Trend: Stable →

Common dung beetle

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Canadian beaver	Common dung beetle
Diet	Herbivore	—
Average Lifespan	15 years	—
Average Length	1.0 m	—
Average Weight	25.0 kg	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Canadian beaver

Habitat

Typically found in grasslands, forests, and vegetated habitats.

Range

Widely distributed across Europe (15 countries), North America (United States), and South America (Argentina, Chile).

Common dung beetle

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

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

Canadian beaver

The largest rodent in North America, Canadian beavers weigh up to 32 kg and are master ecosystem engineers inhabiting rivers, lakes, and wetlands across Canada and the northern United States. By felling trees and constructing dams up to hundreds of meters long, beavers create ponds that provide habitat for hundreds of species. Their lodges and canals transform entire watersheds. Once nearly hunted to extinction for their fur, beaver populations have recovered strongly.

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.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 3 countries:

🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇺🇸 United States