[5] Heliocopris includes some of the world's largest dung beetles (their size only rivalled by certain Catharsius and Coprophanaeus), with H. anderson, H. colossus, H. dilloni, H. dominus, H. gigas and H. tyrannus reaching up to about 7 cm (2.8 in) long, although a more typical size for the members of this genus is 3–5 cm (1.2–2.0 in).

[6] They are generally black or dark brown beetles where males tend to have horns on their head or pronotum, which females lack.

[6] Some are associated with the dung of elephants, rhinos or hippos, but there are large variations among the species in the genus and dung from other animals, like domestic cattle or monkeys, is also used.

The female lays her eggs in a tunnel she digs under the excrement.

[6] The genus Heliocopris includes the following species:[7] This Scarabaeinae article is a stub.