bilby vs Coastal Silver-stiletto

Macrotis lagotis compared with Acrosathe annulata

Key Differences

  • bilby is Vulnerable while Coastal Silver-stiletto is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank bilby Coastal Silver-stiletto
Kingdom same Animalia (Animals) Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Chordata (Chordates) Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class Mammalia (Mammals) Insecta (Insects)
Order Peramelemorphia (Peramelemorphia) Diptera (Diptera)
Family Thylacomyidae Therevidae
Genus Macrotis Acrosathe
Species Macrotis lagotis Acrosathe annulata

Evolutionary Relationship

bilby and Coastal Silver-stiletto share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

bilby

VU — Vulnerable

Coastal Silver-stiletto

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute bilby Coastal Silver-stiletto
Diet
Average Lifespan
Average Length
Average Weight

Habitat & Geographic Range

bilby

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Coastal Silver-stiletto

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

bilby

The Bilby (Macrotis lagotis) is a species in the genus Macrotis. It is currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Coastal Silver-stiletto

Coastal silver stiletto (Acrosathe annulata) is a slender robber fly in the family Therevidae, native to northwestern Europe, including the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Scandinavia. Adults are found on coastal sand dunes and sandy heathland, where they perch on bare sand to ambush small flying insects. Stiletto flies in the family Therevidae are characterised by a slender body, long pointed abdomen, and predatory habits; adults prey on a variety of small dipterans and other flying insects during warm, sunny periods. Larvae develop in sandy soil, where they are also predatory, feeding on other invertebrate larvae. Acrosathe annulata is a habitat specialist restricted to open, sandy coastal habitats with sparse vegetation—environments that have declined substantially across northwestern Europe due to dune stabilisation, recreational disturbance, and the cessation of traditional dune management. The IUCN lists it as Least Concern, though regional conservation bodies in the United Kingdom have flagged population declines. It is considered an indicator of high-quality coastal sand dune habitats and is monitored through national invertebrate surveys.

Nature FYI Family

Explore more of the natural world across our sister sites.

Part of the Nature FYI family — FYIPedia