Common Sun Beetle vs Grayling

Amara aenea compared with Hipparchia semele

Key Differences

  • Common Sun Beetle is Least Concern while Grayling is Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank Common Sun Beetle Grayling
Kingdom same Animalia (حيوانات) Animalia (حيوانات)
Phylum same Arthropoda (مفصليات الأرجل) Arthropoda (مفصليات الأرجل)
Class same Insecta (حشرات) Insecta (حشرات)
Order Coleoptera (خنفساء) Lepidoptera (حرشفيات الأجنحة)
Family Carabidae Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)
Genus Amara Hipparchia
Species Amara aenea Hipparchia semele

Evolutionary Relationship

Common Sun Beetle and Grayling share a common ancestor at the Class level: Insecta. (حشرات)

Conservation Status

Common Sun Beetle

LC — Least Concern

Grayling

EN — Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute Common Sun Beetle Grayling
Diet
Average Lifespan
Average Length
Average Weight

Habitat & Geographic Range

Common Sun Beetle

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Found across Europe (7 countries) and North America (Canada, United States).

Grayling

Habitat

Inhabits temperate broadleaf and mixed forests and Mediterranean forests and woodlands within the Palearctic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Found across Europe (37 countries). Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Common Sun Beetle

<em>Amara aenea</em>, the common sun beetle, is a carabid ground beetle in the family Carabidae, order Coleoptera. It is broadly distributed across Europe and has been introduced to North America, typically inhabiting open, sunny habitats such as arable fields, grasslands, sandy heathlands, and disturbed ground with sparse vegetation. Adults are omnivorous, feeding on seeds, small invertebrates, and plant material, and are considered important predators of weed seeds in agricultural systems. <em>Amara aenea</em> is surface-active during warm, dry conditions, typically exhibiting peak activity in late spring and summer. Like many carabid beetles, it is nocturnal and shelters under stones and debris during the day. Larvae develop in the soil, where they also feed on organic matter and small invertebrates. Biological traits including precise adult lifespan, body length measurements, and detailed prey preferences remain poorly documented at the species level. The species is assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN, reflecting its wide distribution, high adaptability to disturbed environments, and no significant known threats to global population status.

Grayling

Grayling (Hipparchia semele) is classified as Endangered (EN) on the IUCN Red List. At high risk of extinction in the wild, with significant population decline and ongoing threats to survival.

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