Common Marbled Carpet vs Long-tailed Sylph

Dysstroma truncata compared with Aglaiocercus kingii

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common Marbled Carpet	Long-tailed Sylph
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Insecta (Insects)	Aves (Birds)
Order	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)	Apodiformes (Apodiformes)
Family	Geometridae	Trochilidae
Genus	Dysstroma	Aglaiocercus
Species	Dysstroma truncata	Aglaiocercus kingii

Evolutionary Relationship

Common Marbled Carpet and Long-tailed Sylph share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Common Marbled Carpet

LC — Least Concern

Long-tailed Sylph

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common Marbled Carpet	Long-tailed Sylph
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Common Marbled Carpet

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Found across Europe (4 countries) and North America (Canada, United States).

Long-tailed Sylph

Habitat

Typically found in various aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environments.

Range

Distributed across Colombia, Ecuador, Norway, and Venezuela.

Common Marbled Carpet

<em>Dysstroma truncata</em>, the common marbled carpet, is a geometrid moth in the family Geometridae distributed across Europe and North America. It is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, reflecting stable populations across its wide temperate range. The species is typically found in woodland, hedgerow, and garden habitats where its larval food plants are present. Its wings display complex, marbled patterns in shades of brown, grey, and white, providing effective camouflage against tree bark and leaf litter. Adults are typically nocturnal and are recorded from spring through autumn, with multiple generations possible in warmer parts of its range. Larvae feed on a variety of deciduous plants including bilberry, heather, and various shrubs. The common marbled carpet is a familiar species to moth recorders across temperate Europe and North America, where it is frequently encountered at light traps. Its widespread distribution and habitat generalism contribute to its secure conservation status across both continents.

Long-tailed Sylph

One of the most strikingly ornamented hummingbirds, male long-tailed sylphs have iridescent green plumage and dramatically elongated, ribbon-like outer tail feathers reaching up to 22 cm — over three times the body length. Found in Andean cloud forests of Colombia and Venezuela, they inhabit humid montane forest between 1,400–2,800 meters elevation. Males perform elaborate display flights to attract females. Their extravagant tails are a classic example of sexual selection via female preference.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 1 countries:

🇳🇴 Norway