Cardinal Click Beetle vs Spindle Shank

Ampedus cardinalis compared with Gymnopus fusipes

Key Differences

Cardinal Click Beetle is Critically Endangered while Spindle Shank is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Cardinal Click Beetle	Spindle Shank
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)
Class	Insecta (Insects)	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)
Order	Coleoptera (Beetles)	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)
Family	Elateridae	Omphalotaceae
Genus	Ampedus	Gymnopus
Species	Ampedus cardinalis	Gymnopus fusipes

Conservation Status

Cardinal Click Beetle

CR — Critically Endangered

Spindle Shank

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Cardinal Click Beetle	Spindle Shank
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.

Spindle Shank

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and United States. 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.