Cardinal Click Beetle vs Orange Waxcap

Ampedus cardinalis compared with Hygrocybe aurantiosplendens

Key Differences

Cardinal Click Beetle is Critically Endangered while Orange Waxcap is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Cardinal Click Beetle	Orange Waxcap
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)
Class	Insecta (Insects)	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)
Order	Coleoptera (Beetles)	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)
Family	Elateridae	Hygrophoraceae
Genus	Ampedus	Hygrocybe
Species	Ampedus cardinalis	Hygrocybe aurantiosplendens

Conservation Status

Cardinal Click Beetle

CR — Critically Endangered

Orange Waxcap

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Cardinal Click Beetle	Orange Waxcap
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.

Orange Waxcap

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

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.