Common dung beetle vs 虎鯨

Aphodius pedellus compared with Orcinus orca

Key Differences

• Common dung beetle is Least Concern while 虎鯨 is Data Deficient.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common dung beetle	虎鯨
Kingdom same	Animalia (动物界)	Animalia (动物界)
Phylum	Arthropoda (节肢动物门)	Chordata (脊索动物门)
Class	Insecta (昆蟲綱)	Mammalia (哺乳動物)
Order	Coleoptera (鞘翅目)	Cetacea (Whales & Dolphins)
Family	Scarabaeidae	Delphinidae (Oceanic Dolphins)
Genus	Aphodius	Orcinus (Orcas)
Species	Aphodius pedellus	Orcinus orca

Evolutionary Relationship

Common dung beetle and 虎鯨 share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (动物界)

Conservation Status

Common dung beetle

LC — Least Concern

虎鯨

DD — Data Deficient

Population: ~50.0K

Trend: Unknown ?

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common dung beetle	虎鯨
Diet	—	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	—	50 years
Average Length	—	8.0 m
Average Weight	—	5.4 t

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.

虎鯨

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, and tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, among 11 distinct biome types. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Taiwan), Europe (4 countries), and South America (Colombia, Ecuador, 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.

虎鯨

作为海豚科体型最大的成员，虎鲸（Orcinus orca）体长可达9米，体重6吨，分布于从北极到南极的所有海洋。以母系群体生活的顶级捕食者，不同种群具有独特的方言、狩猎策略和文化传统。一些种群专门捕食鱼类，另一些则捕食海洋哺乳动物。没有天敌，虎鲸位于其所栖居的每条海洋食物链的顶端。

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 3 countries:

🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden