Cardinal Click Beetle vs Small Emerald Spreadwing

Ampedus cardinalis compared with Lestes virens

Key Differences

• Cardinal Click Beetle is Critically Endangered while Small Emerald Spreadwing is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Cardinal Click Beetle	Small Emerald Spreadwing
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class same	Insecta (Insects)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Coleoptera (Beetles)	Odonata (Odonata)
Family	Elateridae	Lestidae
Genus	Ampedus	Lestes
Species	Ampedus cardinalis	Lestes virens

Evolutionary Relationship

Cardinal Click Beetle and Small Emerald Spreadwing share a common ancestor at the Class level: Insecta. (Insects)

Conservation Status

Cardinal Click Beetle

CR — Critically Endangered

Small Emerald Spreadwing

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Cardinal Click Beetle	Small Emerald Spreadwing
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.

Small Emerald Spreadwing

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Luxembourg, 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.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 2 countries:

🇩🇰 Denmark 🇸🇪 Sweden