Blaeberry Redleaf vs Colombian Small-eared Shrew

Exobasidium myrtilli compared with Cryptotis colombiana

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Blaeberry Redleaf	Colombian Small-eared Shrew
Kingdom	Fungi (Fungi)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Exobasidiomycetes (Exobasidiomycetes)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Exobasidiales (Exobasidiales)	Soricomorpha (Soricomorpha)
Family	Exobasidiaceae	Soricidae
Genus	Exobasidium	Cryptotis
Species	Exobasidium myrtilli	Cryptotis colombiana

Conservation Status

Blaeberry Redleaf

LC — Least Concern

Colombian Small-eared Shrew

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Blaeberry Redleaf	Colombian Small-eared Shrew
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Blaeberry Redleaf

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Norway and Sweden.

Colombian Small-eared Shrew

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Found in Colombia.

Blaeberry Redleaf

The Blaeberry Redleaf (Exobasidium myrtilli) is a species in the genus Exobasidium. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Colombian Small-eared Shrew

<em>Cryptotis colombiana</em>, the Colombian small-eared shrew, is a diminutive insectivorous mammal belonging to the family Soricidae, endemic to Colombia. This species typically inhabits montane environments, including humid cloud forests and high-altitude grasslands known locally as páramo, where it forages actively through leaf litter and soil for invertebrate prey. Small-eared shrews of the genus <em>Cryptotis</em> are characterised by their notably reduced external ears, high metabolic rates, and nearly constant activity cycles driven by the energetic demands of maintaining body temperature. <em>Cryptotis colombiana</em> is currently assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN, suggesting that its population is relatively stable within its Colombian range. Despite this status, Andean shrews face ongoing pressures from land conversion, cattle grazing in páramo ecosystems, and climate-driven shifts in vegetation zones. The species contributes to soil aeration and invertebrate population regulation within its montane habitat. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.