Arched Earthstar vs Common Roller

Geastrum fornicatum compared with Ancylis badiana

Key Differences

Arched Earthstar is Critically Endangered while Common Roller is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Arched Earthstar	Common Roller
Kingdom	Fungi (Fungi)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Geastrales (Geastrales)	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)
Family	Geastraceae	Tortricidae
Genus	Geastrum	Ancylis
Species	Geastrum fornicatum	Ancylis badiana

Conservation Status

Arched Earthstar

CR — Critically Endangered

Common Roller

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Arched Earthstar	Common Roller
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Arched Earthstar

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, and tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, among 6 distinct biome types spanning the Neotropic and Palearctic realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Europe (4 countries), North America (United States), and South America (Brazil). Currently classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Common Roller

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

Arched Earthstar

The Arched Earthstar (Geastrum fornicatum) is a species in the genus Geastrum. It is currently classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, and tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, among 6 distinct biome types spanning the.

Common Roller

<em>Ancylis badiana</em>, the common roller, is a small moth in the family Tortricidae, order Lepidoptera. It is distributed across northwestern Europe, with documented records from Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, typically inhabiting woodland margins, hedgerows, scrubland, and areas where its larval host plants are abundant. The species is assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Tortricid moths in the genus Ancylis are commonly known as "rollers" or "leafrollers" because their larvae typically roll or fold leaves of host plants to create sheltered feeding structures. <em>Ancylis badiana</em> larvae feed on the foliage of various herbaceous plants, particularly species in the pea family (Fabaceae). Adults are small moths with intricately patterned wings that provide camouflage against bark and plant material. Adult moths are primarily nocturnal and are attracted to light, while larvae are cryptic within their leaf shelters. Biological traits such as lifespan, body measurements, and detailed diet host range remain poorly documented beyond general family-level characteristics. The species typically completes one to two generations per year in temperate European climates, overwintering as pupae. It is considered a minor component of invertebrate biodiversity in European lowland habitats.