Blackthorn Mining Bee vs common river snail

Andrena varians compared with Viviparus viviparus

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Blackthorn Mining Bee	common river snail
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Mollusca (Mollusks)
Class	Insecta (Insects)	Gastropoda (Gastropoda)
Order	Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees & Wasps)	Architaenioglossa (Architaenioglossa)
Family	Andrenidae	Viviparidae
Genus	Andrena	Viviparus
Species	Andrena varians	Viviparus viviparus

Evolutionary Relationship

Blackthorn Mining Bee and common river snail share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Blackthorn Mining Bee

LC — Least Concern

common river snail

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Blackthorn Mining Bee	common river snail
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Blackthorn Mining Bee

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Luxembourg, Norway, and Sweden.

common river snail

Habitat

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

Range

Found across Europe (7 countries).

Blackthorn Mining Bee

The Blackthorn Mining Bee (Andrena varians) is a species in the genus Andrena. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Distributed across Denmark, Luxembourg, Norway, and Sweden.

common river snail

<em>Viviparus viviparus</em>, the common river snail, is a freshwater gastropod mollusk in the family Viviparidae, order Architaenioglossa. It is distributed across Europe, with populations documented in Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, France, Germany, and Hungary, among other countries, typically inhabiting slow-moving and still freshwater bodies including rivers, canals, ponds, and ditches. The species is assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Common river snails typically live in soft-sediment benthic habitats, grazing on algae, aquatic plant material, and organic detritus using a radula — a ribbon-like feeding organ characteristic of gastropods. <em>Viviparus viviparus</em> is notable among freshwater mollusks for being viviparous, giving birth to fully formed juvenile snails rather than laying eggs, an adaptation reflected in both the genus and family names. This reproductive strategy typically results in small litter sizes but high juvenile survival compared to egg-laying mollusks. The species plays a role in benthic nutrient cycling and serves as prey for waterfowl, fish, and crayfish. Biological traits such as precise lifespan, body measurements, and population density data vary across localities and remain incompletely documented in comprehensive studies.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 3 countries:

🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden