Heterochelus optivus is a species of beetle of the family Scarabaeidae. It is found in South Africa (Western Cape).
Adults reach a length of about . They are black, with the scutellum, elytra, pygidium and sides of the abdomen covered with bright yellow scales. The anterior legs are rufescent. The head is strongly scabrose and the pronotum has a distinct longitudinal median impression reaching from the middle to the base, and having only a few squamose appressed yellow hairs which are greatly scattered. The scales on the scutellum, elytra, and pygidial part are very closely set.