Blind Small-eared Shrew vs Clay-Coloured Weevil

Cryptotis niausa compared with Otiorhynchus singularis

Key Differences

• Blind Small-eared Shrew is Data Deficient while Clay-Coloured Weevil is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Blind Small-eared Shrew	Clay-Coloured Weevil
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Soricomorpha (Soricomorpha)	Coleoptera (Beetles)
Family	Soricidae	Curculionidae
Genus	Cryptotis	Otiorhynchus
Species	Cryptotis niausa	Otiorhynchus singularis

Evolutionary Relationship

Blind Small-eared Shrew and Clay-Coloured Weevil share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Blind Small-eared Shrew

DD — Data Deficient

Clay-Coloured Weevil

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Blind Small-eared Shrew	Clay-Coloured Weevil
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Blind Small-eared Shrew

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Distributed across Colombia and Ecuador.

Clay-Coloured Weevil

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Found across Europe (32 countries) and North America (Canada, United States).

Blind Small-eared Shrew

The Blind Small-eared Shrew (Cryptotis niausa) is a species in the genus Cryptotis. It is currently classified as Data Deficient on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Clay-Coloured Weevil

The Clay-coloured Weevil, Otiorhynchus singularis, is a small flightless beetle in the family Curculionidae native to Europe and widely established as an introduced pest in many parts of North America and other temperate regions. The adult weevil is typically 5–7 mm in length, mottled gray-brown or clay-colored with patches of pale scales that provide camouflage against bark and soil. Like other Otiorhynchus weevils, the Clay-coloured Weevil is parthenogenetic in most introduced populations, consisting entirely of females that reproduce without mating. Adults are nocturnal, feeding on the foliage and bark of a wide range of host plants including strawberries, raspberries, currants, ornamental shrubs, and nursery stock. The larvae develop in soil, feeding on roots and causing significant damage that can girdle and kill established plants. The species is considered a serious horticultural pest in affected regions, causing economic losses in soft fruit production, nurseries, and ornamental plantings. Management typically involves biological control using entomopathogenic nematodes or fungi, as chemical control of soil-dwelling larvae is difficult. The species is well established across temperate Europe and has been accidentally introduced to parts of North America through the horticultural trade.