Bad-smelling Alkanet vs Common Marbled Carpet

Alkanna maleolens compared with Dysstroma truncata

Key Differences

• Bad-smelling Alkanet is Critically Endangered while Common Marbled Carpet is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Bad-smelling Alkanet	Common Marbled Carpet
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Boraginales (Boraginales)	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)
Family	Boraginaceae	Geometridae
Genus	Alkanna	Dysstroma
Species	Alkanna maleolens	Dysstroma truncata

Conservation Status

Bad-smelling Alkanet

CR — Critically Endangered

Common Marbled Carpet

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Bad-smelling Alkanet	Common Marbled Carpet
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Bad-smelling Alkanet

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Common Marbled Carpet

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Found across Europe (4 countries) and North America (Canada, United States).

Bad-smelling Alkanet

The Bad-smelling Alkanet (Alkanna maleolens) is a species in the genus Alkanna. It is currently classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Common Marbled Carpet

<em>Dysstroma truncata</em>, the common marbled carpet, is a geometrid moth in the family Geometridae distributed across Europe and North America. It is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, reflecting stable populations across its wide temperate range. The species is typically found in woodland, hedgerow, and garden habitats where its larval food plants are present. Its wings display complex, marbled patterns in shades of brown, grey, and white, providing effective camouflage against tree bark and leaf litter. Adults are typically nocturnal and are recorded from spring through autumn, with multiple generations possible in warmer parts of its range. Larvae feed on a variety of deciduous plants including bilberry, heather, and various shrubs. The common marbled carpet is a familiar species to moth recorders across temperate Europe and North America, where it is frequently encountered at light traps. Its widespread distribution and habitat generalism contribute to its secure conservation status across both continents.