Blind Small-eared Shrew vs Climbing Bindweed

Cryptotis niausa compared with Fallopia scandens

Key Differences

Blind Small-eared Shrew is Data Deficient while Climbing Bindweed is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Blind Small-eared Shrew	Climbing Bindweed
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order	Soricomorpha (Soricomorpha)	Caryophyllales (Caryophyllales)
Family	Soricidae	Polygonaceae
Genus	Cryptotis	Fallopia
Species	Cryptotis niausa	Fallopia scandens

Conservation Status

Blind Small-eared Shrew

DD — Data Deficient

Climbing Bindweed

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Blind Small-eared Shrew	Climbing Bindweed
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.

Climbing Bindweed

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Range

Distributed across Canada, Norway, and 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.

Climbing Bindweed

Climbing Bindweed, Calystegia sepium or related Convolvulus species in the family Convolvulaceae, is a vigorous twining perennial vine native to temperate regions of Europe, Asia, and North America, widely naturalized in disturbed habitats worldwide. The species climbs over hedgerows, fences, tall herbs, and shrubs by twining its flexible stems counterclockwise around supporting structures, sometimes smothering vegetation under dense leafy growth. The leaves are broadly arrow-shaped or hastate, and the funnel-shaped flowers are large, white to pale pink, and open during daylight hours. Like its relatives, Climbing Bindweed has deeply buried, extensively spreading rhizomes that are extremely difficult to eradicate once established. The extensive root system enables survival of herbicide treatments and mechanical disturbance, making the species a persistent weed in gardens, agricultural land, and riparian habitats. Despite its weedy character, the flowers provide nectar for bumblebees and are visited by hawk moths at dusk. The species is not threatened globally; it is considered common and often invasive across temperate regions. It has considerable cultural significance, appearing frequently in art and folklore as a symbol of persistence and entanglement.