Heterochelus carus is a species of beetle of the family Scarabaeidae. It is found in South Africa (Eastern Cape).
Adults reach a length of about . The head, pronotum and abdomen are black, while the legs and elytra are brown, the latter darkened at the base and at the suture line. Each elytron has a broad suture, a very narrow discal band and a similarly narrow lateral band of long, pointed grey scales, with weak ribs.