Cardinal Click Beetle vs Dark-Spotted Milkcap

Ampedus cardinalis compared with Lactarius atroviridis

Key Differences

• Cardinal Click Beetle is Critically Endangered while Dark-Spotted Milkcap is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Cardinal Click Beetle	Dark-Spotted Milkcap
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)
Class	Insecta (Insects)	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)
Order	Coleoptera (Beetles)	Russulales (Russulales)
Family	Elateridae	Russulaceae
Genus	Ampedus	Lactarius
Species	Ampedus cardinalis	Lactarius atroviridis

Conservation Status

Cardinal Click Beetle

CR — Critically Endangered

Dark-Spotted Milkcap

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Cardinal Click Beetle	Dark-Spotted Milkcap
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.

Dark-Spotted Milkcap

Habitat

Typically found in forest floors, decomposing wood, and soil ecosystems.

Range

Found in 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.