6 Spotted Longhorn vs Coastal Silver-stiletto

Anoplodera sexguttata compared with Acrosathe annulata

Key Differences

  • 6 Spotted Longhorn is Near Threatened while Coastal Silver-stiletto is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank 6 Spotted Longhorn Coastal Silver-stiletto
Kingdom same Animalia (animal) Animalia (animal)
Phylum same Arthropoda (arthropodes) Arthropoda (arthropodes)
Class same Insecta (insecte) Insecta (insecte)
Order Coleoptera (Beetles) Diptera (Diptera)
Family Cerambycidae Therevidae
Genus Anoplodera Acrosathe
Species Anoplodera sexguttata Acrosathe annulata

Evolutionary Relationship

6 Spotted Longhorn and Coastal Silver-stiletto share a common ancestor at the Class level: Insecta. (insecte)

Conservation Status

6 Spotted Longhorn

NT — Near Threatened

Coastal Silver-stiletto

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute 6 Spotted Longhorn Coastal Silver-stiletto
Diet
Average Lifespan
Average Length
Average Weight

Habitat & Geographic Range

6 Spotted Longhorn

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

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

Coastal Silver-stiletto

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

6 Spotted Longhorn

The 6 Spotted Longhorn (Anoplodera sexguttata) is a species in the genus Anoplodera. It is classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List. It is found across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and 2 other countries, inhabiting diverse terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Coastal Silver-stiletto

Coastal silver stiletto (Acrosathe annulata) is a slender robber fly in the family Therevidae, native to northwestern Europe, including the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Scandinavia. Adults are found on coastal sand dunes and sandy heathland, where they perch on bare sand to ambush small flying insects. Stiletto flies in the family Therevidae are characterised by a slender body, long pointed abdomen, and predatory habits; adults prey on a variety of small dipterans and other flying insects during warm, sunny periods. Larvae develop in sandy soil, where they are also predatory, feeding on other invertebrate larvae. Acrosathe annulata is a habitat specialist restricted to open, sandy coastal habitats with sparse vegetation—environments that have declined substantially across northwestern Europe due to dune stabilisation, recreational disturbance, and the cessation of traditional dune management. The IUCN lists it as Least Concern, though regional conservation bodies in the United Kingdom have flagged population declines. It is considered an indicator of high-quality coastal sand dune habitats and is monitored through national invertebrate surveys.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 4 countries:

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