Emerald Spreadwing vs Emperor Penguin

Lestes dryas compared with Aptenodytes forsteri

Key Differences

• Emerald Spreadwing is Vulnerable while Emperor Penguin is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Emerald Spreadwing	Emperor Penguin
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Insecta (Insects)	Aves (Birds)
Order	Odonata (Odonata)	Sphenisciformes (Penguins)
Family	Lestidae	Spheniscidae (Penguins)
Genus	Lestes	Aptenodytes (Great Penguins)
Species	Lestes dryas	Aptenodytes forsteri

Evolutionary Relationship

Emerald Spreadwing and Emperor Penguin share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Emerald Spreadwing

VU — Vulnerable

Emperor Penguin

NT — Near Threatened

Population: ~595.0K

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Emerald Spreadwing	Emperor Penguin
Diet	—	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	—	20 years
Average Length	—	1.1 m
Average Weight	—	40.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Emerald Spreadwing

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Found across Europe (5 countries) and North America (United States). Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Emperor Penguin

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, temperate coniferous forests, and boreal forests and taiga, among 4 distinct biome types within the Palearctic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Found in Norway. Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Emerald Spreadwing

Emerald Spreadwing (Lestes dryas) is classified as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List. Facing a high risk of endangerment in the wild, with declining populations and increasing habitat pressure.

Emperor Penguin

The world's largest penguin, emperor penguins stand up to 1.2 meters and weigh 45 kg, inhabiting the Antarctic continent in some of the most extreme conditions on Earth. They breed in midwinter darkness at temperatures below -60°C, with males incubating single eggs on their feet under a brood pouch for 65 days while females are at sea. Their huddling behavior — cycling individuals through the warm center of thousands-strong groups — is a masterclass in cooperative survival.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 1 countries:

🇳🇴 Norway