Cantharid beetle vs Lesser Noctule

Cantharis nigra compared with Nyctalus leisleri

Key Differences

• Cantharid beetle is Near Threatened while Lesser Noctule is Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Cantharid beetle	Lesser Noctule
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Insecta (Insects)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Coleoptera (Beetles)	Chiroptera (Bats)
Family	Cantharidae	Vespertilionidae
Genus	Cantharis	Nyctalus
Species	Cantharis nigra	Nyctalus leisleri

Evolutionary Relationship

Cantharid beetle and Lesser Noctule share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Cantharid beetle

NT — Near Threatened

Lesser Noctule

EN — Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Cantharid beetle	Lesser Noctule
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Cantharid beetle

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Found across Europe (5 countries) and North America (United States). Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Lesser Noctule

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

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

Cantharid beetle

The Cantharid beetle (Cantharis nigra) is a species in the genus Cantharis. It is currently classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 3 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇸🇪 Sweden