Cardinal Click Beetle vs

Ampedus cardinalis compared with Chroococcus minutus

Key Differences

Cardinal Click Beetle is Critically Endangered while is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Cardinal Click Beetle
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Bacteria (Bacteria)
Phylum	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Cyanobacteria (Cyanobacteria)
Class	Insecta (Insects)	Cyanobacteriia
Order	Coleoptera (Beetles)	Cyanobacteriales
Family	Elateridae	Microcystaceae
Genus	Ampedus	Chroococcus
Species	Ampedus cardinalis	Chroococcus minutus

Conservation Status

Cardinal Click Beetle

CR — Critically Endangered

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Cardinal Click Beetle
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

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.

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

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.

Chroococcus minutus is a cyanobacterium in the family Chroococcaceae, recognized as one of the smaller species in the genus. It is distributed in freshwater habitats across temperate regions, including Scandinavia and northern Europe, where it has been documented in taxonomic surveys of freshwater algae and cyanobacteria. Chroococcus species in general are characterized by their simple morphology — spherical or hemispherical cells, binary fission, and organization into pairs or tetrads within gelatinous sheaths. Chroococcus minutus occurs in the plankton and periphyton of lakes, ponds, and slowly flowing waters with low to moderate nutrient levels. Cyanobacteria of this type play roles in primary production and, in certain metabolically active strains, may contribute to nitrogen fixation in nitrogen-limited aquatic systems. The taxonomy of small-celled Chroococcus species remains challenging, with morphological overlap between species and significant variation in cell size related to environmental conditions and growth stage. Recent molecular studies have revealed that morphologically defined genera such as Chroococcus represent multiple phylogenetic lineages, indicating likely future taxonomic rearrangements. The species is not assessed by the IUCN.