Common Awl Robberfly vs Gorila Occidental

Neoitamus cyanurus compared with Gorilla gorilla

Key Differences

• Common Awl Robberfly is Least Concern while Gorila Occidental is Critically Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common Awl Robberfly	Gorila Occidental
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Arthropoda (artrópodos)	Chordata (cordados)
Class	Insecta (insecto)	Mammalia (mamíferos)
Order	Diptera (Diptera)	Primates (Primates)
Family	Asilidae	Hominidae (Great Apes)
Genus	Neoitamus	Gorilla (Gorillas)
Species	Neoitamus cyanurus	Gorilla gorilla

Evolutionary Relationship

Common Awl Robberfly and Gorila Occidental share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Common Awl Robberfly

LC — Least Concern

Gorila Occidental

CR — Critically Endangered

Population: ~100.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common Awl Robberfly	Gorila Occidental
Diet	—	Herbivore
Average Lifespan	—	40 years
Average Length	—	1.7 m
Average Weight	—	160.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Common Awl Robberfly

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

Gorila Occidental

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, and flooded grasslands and savannas, among 4 distinct biome types within the Afrotropic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Distributed across Cameroon, Congo (Republic), Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon. Currently classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Common Awl Robberfly

<em>Neoitamus cyanurus</em>, commonly known as the Common Awl Robberfly, is a predatory dipteran insect in the family Asilidae. This species is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List and is distributed across northern and western Europe, including Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. Like all robber flies, the Common Awl Robberfly is an active aerial predator that captures other flying insects in mid-flight, using its strong legs and piercing mouthparts to subdue and consume prey. Adults typically frequent open and semi-open habitats such as forest clearings, heathlands, and sunny woodland edges where prey insects are abundant. The larvae are believed to develop in soil or decaying wood, where they feed on other invertebrate larvae. Adults are typically observed perching on bare ground or low vegetation, from which they launch short, rapid flights to intercept passing prey. Their robust build, bristly body, and forward-pointing beak are characteristic features of the Asilidae family. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.

Gorila Occidental

El primate más grande del mundo, los gorilas occidentales pesan hasta 180 kg y habitan los bosques tropicales y subtropicales del África ecuatorial. Principalmente herbívoros, viven en grupos familiares liderados por un macho de espalda plateada que protege la tropa y media en los conflictos sociales. En Peligro Crítico, con poblaciones amenazadas por la deforestación, la caza furtiva para la venta de carne de monte y los brotes del virus del Ébola.