Balkan Blind Mole Rat vs St. James' shell

Spalax graecus compared with Pecten maximus

Key Differences

• Balkan Blind Mole Rat is Vulnerable while St. James' shell is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Balkan Blind Mole Rat	St. James' shell
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Mollusca (Mollusks)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Bivalvia (Bivalvia)
Order	Rodentia (Rodents)	Pectinida (Pectinida)
Family	Spalacidae	Pectinidae
Genus	Spalax	Pecten
Species	Spalax graecus	Pecten maximus

Evolutionary Relationship

Balkan Blind Mole Rat and St. James' shell share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Balkan Blind Mole Rat

VU — Vulnerable

St. James' shell

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Balkan Blind Mole Rat	St. James' shell
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Balkan Blind Mole Rat

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Found in Ukraine. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

St. James' shell

Habitat

Native to Asia and Europe and South America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (China), Europe (8 countries), and South America (Chile).

Balkan Blind Mole Rat

The Balkan Blind Mole Rat (Spalax graecus) is a species in the genus Spalax. It is currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

St. James' shell

St. James' shell (Pecten maximus) is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List. Widespread and abundant across its range, with stable populations and no immediate conservation concerns.