Minotaur Beetle vs Notched-mouth Ground Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Minotaur Beetle Notched-mouth Ground Beetle
Scientific Name Typhaeus typhoeus Dicheirus dilatatus
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Geotrupidae Carabidae
Size 15-22 mm 25-35 mm
Habitat Heathland Grasslands
Diet Dung Feeders Predators
Regions Western Europe Southern Africa
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Minotaur Beetle

A robust, black beetle where males sport three forward-pointing horns on the thorax. It buries rabbit dung in deep underground tunnels.

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Did You Know?

Males dig tunnels up to 1.5 meters deep to provision underground brood chambers with dung.

Notched-mouth Ground Beetle

A large southern African ground beetle with powerful mandibles and a robust body. It is a formidable predator found in savanna and bushveld regions.

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Did You Know?

Its mandibles are strong enough to crack open the shells of large land snails.