Cardinal Click Beetle vs Lesser Smoothcap

Ampedus cardinalis compared with Atrichum angustatum

Key Differences

Cardinal Click Beetle is Critically Endangered while Lesser Smoothcap is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Cardinal Click Beetle	Lesser Smoothcap
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Bryophyta
Class	Insecta (Insects)	Polytrichopsida (Polytrichopsida)
Order	Coleoptera (Beetles)	Polytrichales (Polytrichales)
Family	Elateridae	Polytrichaceae
Genus	Ampedus	Atrichum
Species	Ampedus cardinalis	Atrichum angustatum

Conservation Status

Cardinal Click Beetle

CR — Critically Endangered

Lesser Smoothcap

VU — Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Cardinal Click Beetle	Lesser Smoothcap
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.

Lesser Smoothcap

Habitat

Native to Europe and North America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Found across Europe (5 countries) and North America (United States). Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

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.