Big Dipper Firefly vs Cardinal Click Beetle

Photinus pyralis compared with Ampedus cardinalis

Key Differences

• Big Dipper Firefly is Least Concern while Cardinal Click Beetle is Critically Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Big Dipper Firefly	Cardinal Click Beetle
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class same	Insecta (Insects)	Insecta (Insects)
Order same	Coleoptera (Beetles)	Coleoptera (Beetles)
Family	Lampyridae	Elateridae
Genus	Photinus	Ampedus
Species	Photinus pyralis	Ampedus cardinalis

Evolutionary Relationship

Big Dipper Firefly and Cardinal Click Beetle share a common ancestor at the Order level: Coleoptera. (Beetles)

Conservation Status

Big Dipper Firefly

LC — Least Concern

Cardinal Click Beetle

CR — Critically Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Big Dipper Firefly	Cardinal Click Beetle
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Big Dipper Firefly

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Canada and United States.

Cardinal Click Beetle

Habitat

Inhabits temperate coniferous forests within the Palearctic biogeographic realm.

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland. Currently classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Big Dipper Firefly

The Big Dipper Firefly (Photinus pyralis) is a species in the genus Photinus. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Cardinal Click Beetle

The Cardinal Click Beetle (Ampedus cardinalis) is a species in the genus Ampedus. It is currently classified as Critically Endangered (CR) on the IUCN Red List. Inhabits temperate coniferous forests within the Palearctic biogeographic realm.