Cardinal Click Beetle vs Common sawfly

Ampedus cardinalis compared with Fenusella hortulana

Key Differences

• Cardinal Click Beetle is Critically Endangered while Common sawfly is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Cardinal Click Beetle	Common sawfly
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class same	Insecta (Insects)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Coleoptera (Beetles)	Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees & Wasps)
Family	Elateridae	Tenthredinidae
Genus	Ampedus	Fenusella
Species	Ampedus cardinalis	Fenusella hortulana

Evolutionary Relationship

Cardinal Click Beetle and Common sawfly share a common ancestor at the Class level: Insecta. (Insects)

Conservation Status

Cardinal Click Beetle

CR — Critically Endangered

Common sawfly

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Cardinal Click Beetle	Common sawfly
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.

Common sawfly

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Found across Europe (4 countries) and North America (Canada, United States).

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.

Common sawfly

<em>Fenusella hortulana</em> is a small sawfly belonging to the order Hymenoptera and the family Tenthredinidae, a diverse group of plant-feeding insects commonly known as leaf-mining sawflies. This species is distributed across parts of Europe and North America, where it is typically associated with deciduous woodland edges, hedgerows, and gardens that support its host plants. Like other members of its genus, <em>Fenusella hortulana</em> typically undergoes complete metamorphosis, with larvae mining the leaves of woody plants, creating distinctive blotch or linear mines visible to observers. Adults are generally small and inconspicuous, resembling miniature wasps. The species has not been formally evaluated by the IUCN, and its global population status remains unknown. Biological traits for this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature, including specific data on lifespan, body dimensions, weight, and detailed dietary preferences beyond general leaf-mining behavior. Conservation concern is currently low given its apparently stable presence across its range, though habitat degradation may affect local populations.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 3 countries:

🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden