Two-Horned Oxysternon vs Freyer's Purple Emperor
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Two-Horned Oxysternon | Freyer's Purple Emperor |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Oxysternon durum | Apatura metis |
| Order | Coleoptera | Lepidoptera |
| Family | Scarabaeidae | Nymphalidae |
| Size | 20-28 mm | 60-70 mm wingspan |
| Habitat | Forests | Rivers & Streams |
| Diet | Dung Feeders | Dung Feeders |
| Regions | South America | Southeastern Europe, Central Asia, China |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern (globally); rare and declining in Eu |
Two-Horned Oxysternon
A large, dark metallic green tunneling dung beetle with two prominent pronotal projections in males. The clypeus has a distinctive upturned anterior margin. It is a powerful tunneler in Amazonian rainforests.
Did You Know?
This beetle is so efficient at burying dung that it plays a measurable role in reducing livestock parasite transmission.
Freyer's Purple Emperor
A large, powerful butterfly closely related to the purple emperor but restricted to river valleys. Males display a brilliant purple-blue iridescence on the upper wing surface.
Did You Know?
Males patrol narrow sections of riverbank at high speed, chasing away all other large insects.