Cardinal Click Beetle vs Speckled Tar Spot

Ampedus cardinalis compared with Rhytisma punctatum

Key Differences

Cardinal Click Beetle is Critically Endangered while Speckled Tar Spot is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Cardinal Click Beetle	Speckled Tar Spot
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Ascomycota (Sac Fungi)
Class	Insecta (Insects)	Leotiomycetes (Leotiomycetes)
Order	Coleoptera (Beetles)	Rhytismatales (Rhytismatales)
Family	Elateridae	Rhytismataceae
Genus	Ampedus	Rhytisma
Species	Ampedus cardinalis	Rhytisma punctatum

Conservation Status

Cardinal Click Beetle

CR — Critically Endangered

Speckled Tar Spot

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Cardinal Click Beetle	Speckled Tar Spot
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.

Speckled Tar Spot

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and 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.