Black Gem vs Castor

Microchrysa cyaneiventris compared with Ricinus communis

Key Differences

Black Gem is Least Concern while Castor is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Black Gem	Castor
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class	Insecta (Insects)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order	Diptera (Diptera)	Malpighiales (Malpighiales)
Family	Stratiomyidae	Euphorbiaceae
Genus	Microchrysa	Ricinus
Species	Microchrysa cyaneiventris	Ricinus communis

Conservation Status

Black Gem

LC — Least Concern

Castor

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Black Gem	Castor
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Black Gem

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

Castor

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, flooded grasslands and savannas, and montane grasslands and shrublands, among 7 distinct biome types. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (33 countries), Asia (26 countries), Europe (23 countries), North America (15 countries), Oceania and the Pacific (14 countries), and South America (12 countries).

Black Gem

The Black Gem (Microchrysa cyaneiventris) is a species in the genus Microchrysa. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Castor

The Castor (Ricinus communis) is a species in the genus Ricinus. Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, flooded grasslands and savannas, and montane grasslands and shrublands, among 7 distinct biome types. Populations are also found in montane and hi