Cardinal Click Beetle vs Shadowed Waxcap

Ampedus cardinalis compared with Hygrocybe phaeococcinea

Key Differences

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

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Cardinal Click Beetle	Shadowed 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 phaeococcinea

Conservation Status

Cardinal Click Beetle

CR — Critically Endangered

Shadowed Waxcap

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Cardinal Click Beetle	Shadowed 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.

Shadowed Waxcap

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across 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.