Sculpted Rove Beetle vs Speyer's Cave Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Sculpted Rove Beetle Speyer's Cave Beetle
Scientific Name Anotylus sculpturatus Aphaobius milleri
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Staphylinidae Leiodidae
Size 3-4 mm 3-5 mm
Habitat Gardens Caves
Diet Detritivores Detritivores
Regions Europe, Western Asia, introduced globally Austria, Slovenia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Sculpted Rove Beetle

A small, stout oxytelline rove beetle with deeply sculptured integument and a distinctively broad, flat body. It is a very common species in agricultural and garden compost across Europe.

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Did You Know?

Enormous swarms of this beetle sometimes emerge from compost heaps and can be seen flying in dense clouds at dusk.

Speyer's Cave Beetle

A troglobitic beetle endemic to caves in the eastern Alps. It has a convex body shape and completely lacks eyes.

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Did You Know?

It can tolerate near-freezing temperatures in high-altitude caves.