Birchbark Dot Lichen vs small tortoiseshell

Leptorhaphis epidermidis compared with Aglais urticae

Key Differences

• Birchbark Dot Lichen is Least Concern while small tortoiseshell is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Birchbark Dot Lichen	small tortoiseshell
Kingdom	Fungi (Fungi)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Ascomycota (Sac Fungi)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Dothideomycetes (Dothideomycetes)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Pleosporales (Pleosporales)	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)
Family	Naetrocymbaceae	Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)
Genus	Leptorhaphis	Aglais
Species	Leptorhaphis epidermidis	Aglais urticae

Conservation Status

Birchbark Dot Lichen

LC — Least Concern

small tortoiseshell

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Birchbark Dot Lichen	small tortoiseshell
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Birchbark Dot Lichen

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and United States.

small tortoiseshell

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Found across Europe (41 countries). Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Birchbark Dot Lichen

The Birchbark Dot Lichen (Leptorhaphis epidermidis) is a species in the genus Leptorhaphis. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Native to Europe and North America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

small tortoiseshell

small tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae) is classified as Near Threatened (NT) on the IUCN Red List. Close to qualifying as threatened, with populations that may become vulnerable without conservation action.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 3 countries:

🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden