Is Aphodius contaminates (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) a threatened species in Finland?

Abstract

The dung beetle Aphodius contaminatus has been considered extinct in Finland, owing to the decline in the horse stock. In 1995, I found the species to be widespread in Åland, though it showed an aggregated spatial distribution. I suggest that A. contaminatus is not to be considered a critically threatened species in Finland. Neither does it seem to be a specialist on horse dung - the larva is probably a generalist saprophage. The most likely explanation for the apparent extinction of the species is a seasonal bias in the sampling of dung beetle communities.