Broom Flat-body vs Common Dodder

Agonopterix scopariella compared with Cuscuta gronovii

Key Differences

• Broom Flat-body is Near Threatened while Common Dodder is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Broom Flat-body	Common Dodder
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class	Insecta (Insects)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)	Solanales (Solanales)
Family	Depressariidae	Convolvulaceae
Genus	Agonopterix	Cuscuta
Species	Agonopterix scopariella	Cuscuta gronovii

Conservation Status

Broom Flat-body

NT — Near Threatened

Common Dodder

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Broom Flat-body	Common Dodder
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Broom Flat-body

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, and Sweden. Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Common Dodder

Habitat

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

Range

Found across Europe (11 countries) and North America (United States).

Broom Flat-body

The Broom Flat-Body (Agonopterix scopariella) is a species in the genus Agonopterix. It is currently classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Common Dodder

<em>Cuscuta gronovii</em>, the common dodder, is a parasitic annual vine in the family Convolvulaceae. This species is distributed across eleven European countries as well as the United States, where it typically inhabits diverse terrestrial environments including wetland margins, roadsides, thickets, and disturbed vegetation. Unlike most plants, <em>Cuscuta gronovii</em> lacks chlorophyll and is entirely dependent on host plants for water and nutrients, which it extracts through specialized structures called haustoria. The common dodder typically has slender, twining orange or yellowish stems and produces small, clustered white or pale pink flowers in late summer. It often parasitizes a broad range of host species, including many herbaceous and shrubby plants. Once attached to a host, it typically sheds its connection to the soil and relies entirely on the host for sustenance. The species is assessed as Least Concern, reflecting its wide distribution and ability to colonize disturbed habitats. Its parasitic life history makes it ecologically notable among flowering plants.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 2 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇳🇴 Norway