Bracken vs small tortoiseshell

Pteridium aquilinum compared with Aglais urticae

Key Differences

  • Bracken is Least Concern while small tortoiseshell is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank Bracken small tortoiseshell
Kingdom Plantae (Plants) Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Tracheophyta Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class Polypodiopsida (Polypodiopsida) Insecta (Insects)
Order Polypodiales (Polypodiales) Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)
Family Dennstaedtiaceae Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)
Genus Pteridium Aglais
Species Pteridium aquilinum Aglais urticae

Conservation Status

Bracken

LC — Least Concern

small tortoiseshell

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute Bracken small tortoiseshell
Diet
Average Lifespan
Average Length
Average Weight

Habitat & Geographic Range

Bracken

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, and flooded grasslands and savannas, among 9 distinct biome types spanning the Afrotropic and Neotropic and Palearctic realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (6 countries), Asia (Iran, Turkey), Europe (6 countries), North America (4 countries), Oceania and the Pacific (Australia), and South America (4 countries).

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.

Bracken

The Bracken (Pteridium aquilinum) is a species in the genus Pteridium. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, and flooded grasslands and savannas, among 9 distinct biome types spanning the Afrotropic and Ne

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.

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