Altai Birch Mouse vs Coastal stingaree

Sicista napaea compared with Urolophus orarius

Key Differences

  • Altai Birch Mouse is Least Concern while Coastal stingaree is Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank Altai Birch Mouse Coastal stingaree
Kingdom same Animalia (Animals) Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same Chordata (Chordates) Chordata (Chordates)
Class Mammalia (Mammals) Elasmobranchii
Order Rodentia (Rodents) Myliobatiformes (Myliobatiformes)
Family Dipodidae Urolophidae
Genus Sicista Urolophus
Species Sicista napaea Urolophus orarius

Evolutionary Relationship

Altai Birch Mouse and Coastal stingaree share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Altai Birch Mouse

LC — Least Concern

Coastal stingaree

EN — Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute Altai Birch Mouse Coastal stingaree
Diet
Average Lifespan
Average Length
Average Weight

Habitat & Geographic Range

Altai Birch Mouse

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Coastal stingaree

Altai Birch Mouse

The Altai Birch Mouse (Sicista napaea) is a species in the genus Sicista. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Coastal stingaree

Coastal stingaree (Urolophus orarius) is a small batoid ray in the family Urolophidae, endemic to shallow coastal waters of southern Australia, particularly along the coasts of South Australia, Victoria, and Tasmania. Like other stingarees, it has a rounded disc, a short tail armed with one or two venomous spines, and lacks a distinct rostrum. It inhabits sandy and muddy nearshore substrates in depths typically less than 30 metres, where it forages for polychaete worms, crustaceans, and small molluscs buried in the seabed. Females are ovoviviparous, giving birth to small litters of live young following internal development. Coastal stingaree is assessed as Endangered by the IUCN, driven by its restricted range, slow reproductive rate, and significant bycatch in inshore commercial and recreational fisheries operating across southern Australian coastal waters. Bottom trawling, prawn trawling, and gillnetting are identified as major threats. The species receives limited targeted conservation attention and is not currently the subject of specific fisheries management measures. Its small home range and coastal distribution make it especially vulnerable to localised fishery impacts.

Nature FYI Family

Explore more of the natural world across our sister sites.

Part of the Nature FYI family — FYIPedia