African Myrmecophile Rove Beetle vs Australian Horned Dung Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute African Myrmecophile Rove Beetle Australian Horned Dung Beetle
Scientific Name Dorylomimus kohli Onthophagus australis
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Staphylinidae Scarabaeidae
Size 4-6 mm 6-10 mm
Habitat Rivers & Streams Farmland
Diet Omnivores Dung Feeders
Regions Central Africa, West Africa Australia
Conservation Data Deficient Least Concern

African Myrmecophile Rove Beetle

A rove beetle that lives with army ant colonies in tropical Africa, mimicking the ants in body shape. It travels with the nomadic ant colony during emigrations.

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Did You Know?

Its body shape so closely mimics that of its host ants that it was initially described as an ant rather than a beetle.

Australian Horned Dung Beetle

A small brown tunneling dung beetle native to Australia with minor horns in males. It was one of the first dung beetle species studied in early Australian biological control programs. It excavates tunnels beneath cow pats.

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Did You Know?

Australia imported dozens of dung beetle species to deal with cattle dung that native beetles could not process.