Twisted-Winged Parasitoid vs Sagittarius Dung Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Twisted-Winged Parasitoid Sagittarius Dung Beetle
Scientific Name Elenchus tenuicornis Onthophagus sagittarius
Order Strepsiptera Coleoptera
Family Elenchidae Scarabaeidae
Size 1-3 mm 8-14 mm
Habitat Farmland Farmland
Diet Parasites Dung Feeders
Regions Europe, Asia Southeast Asia, introduced to Australia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Twisted-Winged Parasitoid

A minute strepsipteran that parasitizes planthoppers of the family Delphacidae. Males have fan-shaped hind wings and raspberry-like compound eyes unique among insects.

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Did You Know?

Strepsiptera have unique compound eyes with far fewer but much larger individual lenses than any other insect, resembling a cluster of berries.

Sagittarius Dung Beetle

A medium-sized dark brown tunneler with a distinctive arrow-shaped projection on the male head. It was introduced to Australia from Asia to assist with cattle dung burial. A very efficient tunneler in tropical conditions.

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Did You Know?

This species was deliberately released in northern Australia in 1982 and has since spread across tropical Queensland.