Broom Flat-body vs common shrew

Agonopterix scopariella compared with Sorex araneus

Key Differences

  • Broom Flat-body is Near Threatened while common shrew is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank Broom Flat-body common shrew
Kingdom same Animalia (Animals) Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods) Chordata (Chordates)
Class Insecta (Insects) Mammalia (Mammals)
Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths) Soricomorpha (Soricomorpha)
Family Depressariidae Soricidae
Genus Agonopterix Sorex
Species Agonopterix scopariella Sorex araneus

Evolutionary Relationship

Broom Flat-body and common shrew share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Broom Flat-body

NT — Near Threatened

common shrew

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute Broom Flat-body common shrew
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 shrew

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Found across Europe (5 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 shrew

<em>Sorex araneus</em>, the common shrew, is a small insectivorous mammal in the family Soricidae, order Eulipotyphla, widely distributed across Europe and portions of the United States and Russia. This species inhabits a broad range of terrestrial environments including woodland, grassland, scrubland, hedgerows, and suburban gardens, typically favoring areas with dense ground cover providing both shelter and hunting opportunities. <em>Sorex araneus</em> is among the smallest mammals, with an exceptionally high metabolic rate that necessitates nearly continuous feeding to survive — it must consume close to its own body weight in food each day. Its diet consists primarily of invertebrates including earthworms, beetles, spiders, and other small arthropods found in leaf litter and soil. The species is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, with large and stable populations across its range. Biological traits for this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature in terms of precise standardized averages for lifespan, body length, and weight across populations, though it is known to be a short-lived species with typical wild lifespans of around one year, and is widely studied as a model organism in ecological and physiological research.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 4 countries:

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