This dataset was assembled for a study on the biogeographical history and origin of dung beetles ([preprint link](https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.01.26.428346v1.full)). We used the R package rgbif to query and download occurrence data from GBIF for all taxa in our phylogeny which were determined to species level (which constitutes the present Dataset A). For all taxa that came back as unavailable, name validity was checked using the R package taxize, and alternative names and eventually also genus-level entries were again queried and downloaded using rgbif (which constitutes Dataset B). The records from both queries/downloads where subsequently combined, duplicates removed, etc. Using an R script, the retrieved records were cleaned from empty or invalid entries, with regards to the basis of record, identification date, country and coordinates, and sets with unique countries or coordinates per taxon respectively were made. For any taxa that were still missing, occurrence information was searched for in the literature.