Brownband Numbfish vs Coastal Silver-stiletto

Diplobatis guamachensis compared with Acrosathe annulata

Key Differences

• Brownband Numbfish is Vulnerable while Coastal Silver-stiletto is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Brownband Numbfish	Coastal Silver-stiletto
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Elasmobranchii	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Torpediniformes (electric ray)	Diptera (Diptera)
Family	Narcinidae	Therevidae
Genus	Diplobatis	Acrosathe
Species	Diplobatis guamachensis	Acrosathe annulata

Evolutionary Relationship

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

Conservation Status

Brownband Numbfish

VU — Vulnerable

Coastal Silver-stiletto

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Brownband Numbfish	Coastal Silver-stiletto
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Brownband Numbfish

Habitat

Native to South America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Found in Venezuela. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Coastal Silver-stiletto

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

Brownband Numbfish

The Brownband Numbfish (Diplobatis guamachensis) is a species in the genus Diplobatis. It is currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Native to South America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

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.