European polecat vs Small Emerald Spreadwing

Mustela putorius compared with Lestes virens

Key Differences

• European polecat is Vulnerable while Small Emerald Spreadwing is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	European polecat	Small Emerald Spreadwing
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Carnivora (Carnivorans)	Odonata (Odonata)
Family	Mustelidae (Weasels & Otters)	Lestidae
Genus	Mustela	Lestes
Species	Mustela putorius	Lestes virens

Evolutionary Relationship

European polecat and Small Emerald Spreadwing share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

European polecat

VU — Vulnerable

Small Emerald Spreadwing

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	European polecat	Small Emerald Spreadwing
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

European polecat

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Found across Europe (10 countries) and South America (Brazil, Colombia). Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Small Emerald Spreadwing

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Luxembourg, and Sweden. Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

European polecat

European polecat (Mustela putorius) 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.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 3 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇸🇪 Sweden