Cobblestone Tiger Beetle vs Common Metad

Cicindela marginipennis compared with Millardia meltada

Key Differences

• Cobblestone Tiger Beetle is Vulnerable while Common Metad is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Cobblestone Tiger Beetle	Common Metad
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Insecta (Insects)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Coleoptera (Beetles)	Rodentia (Rodents)
Family	Carabidae	Muridae (Mice & Rats)
Genus	Cicindela	Millardia
Species	Cicindela marginipennis	Millardia meltada

Evolutionary Relationship

Cobblestone Tiger Beetle and Common Metad share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Cobblestone Tiger Beetle

VU — Vulnerable

Common Metad

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Cobblestone Tiger Beetle	Common Metad
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Cobblestone Tiger Beetle

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Canada and United States. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Common Metad

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Cobblestone Tiger Beetle

Cobblestone tiger beetle (Cicindela marginipennis) is a medium-sized ground beetle in the family Carabidae (tribe Cicindelini), native to riverbars and cobblestone beaches of major river systems in eastern North America, from Quebec and Ontario south through the Ohio and Mississippi river basins. It is a habitat specialist restricted to dynamic, open gravel and cobble bars on large rivers, where bare, sun-warmed substrate provides ideal conditions for hunting small invertebrate prey. Like all tiger beetles, it is a fast-running, visually acute predator that captures prey by rapid pursuit. Adults are active on sunny days from late spring through summer, capable of short bursts of flight. Cobblestone tiger beetle is assessed as Vulnerable by the IUCN due to severe declines caused by the loss of dynamic river cobblestone habitat through dam construction, channelisation, bank stabilisation, and loss of natural flood regimes that maintain bare substrate. Populations have disappeared from many historically occupied rivers. Conservation efforts focus on preserving and restoring natural river dynamics on rivers where the species persists.

Common Metad

The Common Metad (<em>Millardia meltada</em>) is a rodent belonging to the genus <em>Millardia</em> within the family Muridae. As a member of the Old World rats and mice, this species is typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems across its range. The Common Metad is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, indicating that its populations are currently stable and not facing immediate extinction risk. Detailed biological traits such as body length, weight, and lifespan have not been widely documented for this species in available records. Its taxonomy places it within the order Rodentia, which encompasses a broad array of gnawing mammals adapted to a wide variety of ecological niches. While specific dietary habits are not well characterized in the available data, members of the genus <em>Millardia</em> are generally understood to be omnivorous, feeding on plant material and invertebrates typical of their habitat. Ongoing monitoring is important for ensuring this species maintains its current conservation standing.