vs Long-tailed Sylph

Euglena deses compared with Aglaiocercus kingii

Key Differences

is Not Evaluated while Long-tailed Sylph is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank		Long-tailed Sylph
Kingdom	Protozoa (protozoa)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Euglenozoa (Euglenozoa)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Euglenoidea (Euglenoidea)	Aves (Birds)
Order	Euglenida (Euglenida)	Apodiformes (Apodiformes)
Family	Euglenaceae	Trochilidae
Genus	Euglena	Aglaiocercus
Species	Euglena deses	Aglaiocercus kingii

Conservation Status

NE — Not Evaluated

Long-tailed Sylph

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute		Long-tailed Sylph
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Habitat

Native to Asia and Europe and South America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Brazil, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Taiwan.

Long-tailed Sylph

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Colombia, Ecuador, Norway, and Venezuela.

Euglena deses is a photosynthetic euglenoid flagellate in the family Euglenaceae, distinguished by its elongate to cylindrical cell body that undergoes pronounced euglenoid movement (metaboly). It inhabits nutrient-rich freshwater habitats, including puddles, ditches, and the surface of damp soil, often forming green biofilms. Its single emergent flagellum propels it toward light to optimize photosynthesis.

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.