Balkan Yam vs Giant Mole Shrew

Dioscorea balcanica compared with Blarina brevicauda

Key Differences

• Balkan Yam is Near Threatened while Giant Mole Shrew is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Balkan Yam	Giant Mole Shrew
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Liliopsida (Monocots)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Dioscoreales (Dioscoreales)	Soricomorpha (Soricomorpha)
Family	Dioscoreaceae	Soricidae
Genus	Dioscorea	Blarina
Species	Dioscorea balcanica	Blarina brevicauda

Conservation Status

Balkan Yam

NT — Near Threatened

Giant Mole Shrew

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Balkan Yam	Giant Mole Shrew
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Balkan Yam

Habitat

Typically found in grasslands, wetlands, forests, and cultivated landscapes.

Giant Mole Shrew

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Found in United States.

Balkan Yam

The Balkan Yam (Dioscorea balcanica) is a species in the genus Dioscorea. It is currently classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in grasslands, wetlands, forests, and cultivated landscapes.