Common Globe-Thistle vs Northern Emerald

Echinops sphaerocephalus compared with Somatochlora arctica

Key Differences

• Common Globe-Thistle is Not Evaluated while Northern Emerald is Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common Globe-Thistle	Northern Emerald
Kingdom same	Animalia (สัตว์)	Animalia (สัตว์)
Phylum	Chordata (สัตว์มีแกนสันหลัง)	Arthropoda (สัตว์ขาปล้อง)
Class	Mammalia (สัตว์เลี้ยงลูกด้วยน้ำนม)	Insecta (แมลง)
Order	Afrosoricida (อันดับเทนเรค)	Odonata (Odonata)
Family	Tenrecidae	Corduliidae
Genus	Echinops	Somatochlora
Species	Echinops sphaerocephalus	Somatochlora arctica

Evolutionary Relationship

Common Globe-Thistle and Northern Emerald share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (สัตว์)

Conservation Status

Common Globe-Thistle

NE — Not Evaluated

Northern Emerald

EN — Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common Globe-Thistle	Northern Emerald
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Common Globe-Thistle

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Widely distributed across Europe (19 countries), North America (Canada, United States), and Oceania and the Pacific (Australia).

Northern Emerald

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Ukraine. Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Common Globe-Thistle

<em>Echinops sphaerocephalus</em>, commonly known as the common globe-thistle or great globe-thistle, is a perennial herbaceous plant in the family Asteraceae. The species has a distribution spanning Europe, North America, and Oceania, with naturalization in several regions outside its native southern and central European range. <em>Echinops sphaerocephalus</em> typically inhabits dry, open, and disturbed habitats including roadsides, waste ground, rocky slopes, and steppe grasslands, where it is well adapted to poor, well-drained soils. It produces distinctive spherical, steel-blue flower heads that are highly attractive to pollinators, particularly bees and butterflies, making it a valued plant in native garden planting and ecological restoration. The species is not currently evaluated for conservation status. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature. <em>Echinops sphaerocephalus</em> is a robust, spiny plant that can grow to considerable height and spreads readily in suitable open habitats. Its ornamental qualities and pollinator value have contributed to its deliberate planting in gardens and public green spaces beyond its native range.

Northern Emerald

Northern Emerald (Somatochlora arctica) is classified as Endangered (EN) on the IUCN Red List. At high risk of extinction in the wild, with significant population decline and ongoing threats to survival.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 4 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden