Arctic barrel-bubble vs Eurasian pygmy shrew

Retusa obtusa compared with Sorex minutus

Key Differences

• Arctic barrel-bubble is Least Concern while Eurasian pygmy shrew is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Arctic barrel-bubble	Eurasian pygmy shrew
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Mollusca (Mollusks)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Gastropoda (Gastropoda)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Cephalaspidea (Cephalaspidea)	Soricomorpha (Soricomorpha)
Family	Retusidae	Soricidae
Genus	Retusa	Sorex
Species	Retusa obtusa	Sorex minutus

Evolutionary Relationship

Arctic barrel-bubble and Eurasian pygmy shrew share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Arctic barrel-bubble

LC — Least Concern

Eurasian pygmy shrew

VU — Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Arctic barrel-bubble	Eurasian pygmy shrew
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Arctic barrel-bubble

Habitat

Typically found in terrestrial and aquatic habitats including forests and freshwater.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

Eurasian pygmy shrew

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Found across Europe (6 countries). Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Arctic barrel-bubble

The Arctic barrel-bubble (Retusa obtusa) is a species in the genus Retusa. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in terrestrial and aquatic habitats including forests and freshwater.

Eurasian pygmy shrew

Eurasian pygmy shrew (Sorex minutus) is classified as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List. Facing a high risk of endangerment in the wild, with declining populations and increasing habitat pressure.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 4 countries:

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