Trox hispidus
Local name: måsknotbagge
Conservation status data sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
25
Countries
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trox_hispidus
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Arthropoda
Class
Insecta
Order
Coleoptera
Family
Trogidae
Genus
Trox
Trox hispidus belongs to the family Trogidae, order Coleoptera, within the Insecta class.
Species Profile
Species profile data sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Trox hispidus faces severe population declines due to habitat loss from agricultural expansion and urbanization, which destroys the specific microhabitats required for its carrion-dependent lifecycle. The species' specialized feeding requirements on animal carcasses make it particularly vulnerable to changes in land use patterns and the widespread use of veterinary pharmaceuticals that contaminate its food sources.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Sandy soils, coastal dunes, and dry grasslands where it feeds on carrion and organic matter, particularly in areas with sparse vegetation and well-drained substrates. The species requires specific soil conditions for burrowing and depends on the presence of animal carcasses for reproduction and larval development.
Threats
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
Trox hispidus faces severe population declines due to habitat loss from agricultural expansion and urbanization, which destroys the specific microhabitats required for its carrion-dependent lifecycle. The species' specialized feeding requirements on animal carcasses make it particularly vulnerable to changes in land use patterns and the widespread use of veterinary pharmaceuticals that contaminate its food sources.
Contamination of carrion food sources by veterinary pharmaceuticals
Habitat loss and fragmentation from agricultural expansion
Urbanization and infrastructure development
Climate change affecting carrion availability patterns
Decline in suitable host animal populations
Found in 25 Countries
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Trox hispidus (Trox hispidus). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/masknotbagge