East Asian Pheropsophus Bombardier vs Rhinoceros Dung Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute East Asian Pheropsophus Bombardier Rhinoceros Dung Beetle
Scientific Name Pheropsophus jessoensis Heliocopris dominus
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Carabidae Scarabaeidae
Size 15-25 mm 35-50 mm
Habitat Farmland Forests
Diet Predators Dung Feeders
Regions Japan, Korea, eastern China, Russian Far East Southeast Asia
Conservation Least Concern Not Evaluated

East Asian Pheropsophus Bombardier

A large Asian bombardier beetle with an orange head and pronotum and dark blue-black elytra. It is the largest bombardier beetle in Japan and produces powerful chemical sprays.

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Did You Know?

It can spray its boiling chemical defense up to 20 centimeters with a popping sound audible from several meters away, and can fire repeatedly up to 20 times before depleting its reserves.

Rhinoceros Dung Beetle

A large nocturnal dung beetle found in the forests of Southeast Asia. It constructs enormous brood balls from elephant dung.

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Did You Know?

Its brood balls can be the size of a tennis ball, among the largest of any dung beetle.