North American Hide Beetle vs Stellate Dung Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute North American Hide Beetle Stellate Dung Beetle
Scientific Name Trox scaber Gymnopleurus humanus
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Trogidae Scarabaeidae
Size 5-9 mm 10-16 mm
Habitat Woodlands Grasslands
Diet Carrion Feeders Predators
Regions North America, Europe Sub-Saharan Africa
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

North American Hide Beetle

A small, oval, grayish-brown beetle with heavily sculptured elytra covered in rows of bumps and encrusted soil. It specializes in consuming dried keratin-rich animal remains. Found in owl pellets, bird nests, and old carcasses.

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Did You Know?

Forensic entomologists use the presence of hide beetles to estimate time since death in very old remains.

Stellate Dung Beetle

A medium-sized, glossy black roller found in African savannas. It has a nearly perfectly spherical body when viewed from the side. An extremely fast roller that can outpace many predators on flat terrain.

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Did You Know?

Its near-perfect spherical body shape is an adaptation that makes it difficult for predators to grasp.