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Aphodius
What kind of animal is Aphodius?
Aphodius is a genus of beetles in the family Scarabaeidae.
In most species, both the adults and larvae are coprophagous, meaning they feed on dung.
Aphodius species typically dominate dung beetle communities in north temperate ecosystems.
These incests have oval or round bodies, with three pairs of digging legs.
They vary in size and color, but most are small and have black, red, or yellow patterns.
They do not bury or roll dung, but lay their eggs directly in it.
The larvae hatch and feed on the dung, while the adults fly to fresh dung piles.
Aphodius is one of the most diverse and numerous genera of beetles, with about 700 species worldwide and 100 species in China.
Example of the color palette for the image of Aphodius
![Palette with colors: Dark lava, Dark jungle green and Pastel brown Picture with primary colors of Dark lava, Dark jungle green, Pastel brown, Grullo and Satin sheen gold](/images/aphodius/strange-looking-insect.webp)
See these colors in NCS, PANTONE, RAL palettes...
What is the animal Aphodius known for?
Aphodius is a genus of beetles that belong to the family Scarabaeidae.
They are commonly known as dung beetles, because most of them feed on dung, both as adults and larvae.
Some species of Aphodius are also called night-flying dung beetles, because they are attracted to artificial lights at night.
Aphodius beetles are widespread in the Palearctic and North America, and they play an important role in recycling nutrients and reducing parasites in dung.