Dung Roller Beetle vs Malaysian Trilobite Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Dung Roller Beetle Malaysian Trilobite Beetle
Scientific Name Kheper nigroaeneus Platerodrilus ruficollis
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Scarabaeidae Lycidae
Size 25-40 mm 40-80 mm females, 8-10 mm males
Habitat Grasslands Woodlands
Diet Dung Feeders Wood Feeders
Regions Africa Southeast Asia (Malaysia, Borneo, Sumatra, Indonesia)
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Dung Roller Beetle

A large dung beetle that navigates using the Milky Way to roll balls in straight lines.

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Did You Know?

It was the first animal proven to use the Milky Way for orientation.

Malaysian Trilobite Beetle

A bizarre beetle whose larviform females retain a flat, segmented larval appearance throughout life, resembling ancient trilobites. Males are small, winged, and conventionally beetle-shaped.

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Did You Know?

The flat, armored female looks so unlike a typical beetle that it was originally described as a separate species from the male.