Emerald Spreadwing vs Gambian Sun Squirrel

Lestes dryas compared with Heliosciurus gambianus

Key Differences

• Emerald Spreadwing is Vulnerable while Gambian Sun Squirrel is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Emerald Spreadwing	Gambian Sun Squirrel
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Insecta (Insects)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Odonata (Odonata)	Rodentia (Rodents)
Family	Lestidae	Sciuridae (Squirrels)
Genus	Lestes	Heliosciurus
Species	Lestes dryas	Heliosciurus gambianus

Evolutionary Relationship

Emerald Spreadwing and Gambian Sun Squirrel share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Emerald Spreadwing

VU — Vulnerable

Gambian Sun Squirrel

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Emerald Spreadwing	Gambian Sun Squirrel
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

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.

Gambian Sun Squirrel

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

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.