Elephant Dung Beetle vs Isotoma Springtail

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Elephant Dung Beetle Isotoma Springtail
Scientific Name Heliocopris dilloni Isotoma viridis
Order Coleoptera Collembola
Family Scarabaeidae Isotomidae
Size 35-55 mm 2.0-4.0 mm
Habitat Grasslands Grasslands
Diet Dung Feeders Detritivores
Regions East Africa, Southern Africa Europe, North America
Conservation Least Concern Not Evaluated

Elephant Dung Beetle

A very large black dung beetle that specializes in elephant dung. Males have a prominent curved horn on the thorax.

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Did You Know?

A single elephant dropping can attract over 4,000 dung beetles within 15 minutes of being deposited.

Isotoma Springtail

A greenish elongate springtail common in grasslands and gardens throughout Europe. It is active year-round even in cold weather.

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Did You Know?

This springtail remains active at temperatures near freezing and can be found hopping on soil surfaces in winter.