Giant Neotropical Ball Roller vs Lateral Longhorn Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Giant Neotropical Ball Roller Lateral Longhorn Beetle
Scientific Name Canthon aequinoctialis Mastododera lateralis
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Scarabaeidae Cerambycidae
Size 10-16 mm 20-35 mm
Habitat Forests Woodlands
Diet Dung Feeders Wood Feeders
Regions Central America, South America Madagascar
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Giant Neotropical Ball Roller

A medium-sized, matte black roller dung beetle common in Central and South American forests. It is one of the most abundant forest-floor dung beetles in the Neotropics. Pairs cooperate to roll balls rapidly along forest trails.

💡

Did You Know?

During the rainy season, this beetle can be so abundant at a single dung pat that dozens compete for portions simultaneously.

Lateral Longhorn Beetle

A medium-sized longhorn beetle with dark elytra marked by pale lateral stripes along the sides. It has the characteristically long antennae of the cerambycid family.

💡

Did You Know?

Like many longhorn beetles, the larvae can take several years to develop inside wood before emerging as adults.