Da xióngmāo vs Coastal Dung Beetle

Ailuropoda melanoleuca compared with Onthophagus nigriventris

Key Differences

• Da xióngmāo is Vulnerable while Coastal Dung Beetle is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Da xióngmāo	Coastal Dung Beetle
Kingdom same	Animalia (动物界)	Animalia (动物界)
Phylum	Chordata (脊索动物门)	Arthropoda (节肢动物门)
Class	Mammalia (哺乳動物)	Insecta (昆蟲綱)
Order	Carnivora (食肉目)	Coleoptera (鞘翅目)
Family	Ursidae (Bears)	Scarabaeidae
Genus	Ailuropoda (Giant Pandas)	Onthophagus
Species	Ailuropoda melanoleuca	Onthophagus nigriventris

Evolutionary Relationship

Da xióngmāo and Coastal Dung Beetle share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (动物界)

Conservation Status

Da xióngmāo

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~1.9K

Trend: Increasing ↑

Coastal Dung Beetle

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Da xióngmāo	Coastal Dung Beetle
Diet	Herbivore	—
Average Lifespan	20 years	—
Average Length	1.5 m	—
Average Weight	100.0 kg	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Da xióngmāo

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, temperate coniferous forests, and temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, among 7 distinct biome types spanning the Indomalayan and Palearctic realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Found in China. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Coastal Dung Beetle

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Found in United States.

Da xióngmāo

大熊猫（Ailuropoda melanoleuca）是中国特有的濒危动物，以其黑白相间的体色和几乎完全依赖竹子的食性而闻名于世。该物种保护状态为易危（VU），是国际野生动物保护的旗舰物种，其种群数量近年来有所回升。

Coastal Dung Beetle

Onthophagus nigriventris, the coastal dung beetle, is a scarabaeid beetle in the family Scarabaeidae, subfamily Scarabaeinae, recorded from coastal habitats in the United States. Dung beetles in the genus Onthophagus, comprising over 2,000 species and representing the most species-rich genus of beetles globally, play critical ecological roles as decomposers, burying mammal dung to provision nests in which females lay eggs and larvae develop. By transporting dung underground, Onthophagus beetles contribute to nutrient cycling, soil aeration, secondary seed dispersal from seeds present in dung, and reduction of parasite loads in livestock. The coastal association of O. nigriventris may reflect its association with marine mammal haul-out sites, seabird colonies, or the dung of coastal wildlife such as deer, raccoons, and feral animals in beach and dune systems. The species is assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN. Dung beetle communities have declined significantly in parts of North America and Europe due to widespread veterinary use of ivermectin and related antiparasitic drugs in livestock, which persist in dung and are lethal to beetle larvae developing within treated dung pats.