Bulmer's Fruit Bat vs common freshwater nerite

Aproteles bulmerae compared with Theodoxus fluviatilis

Key Differences

• Bulmer's Fruit Bat is Critically Endangered while common freshwater nerite is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Bulmer's Fruit Bat	common freshwater nerite
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Mollusca (Mollusks)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Gastropoda (Gastropoda)
Order	Chiroptera (Bats)	Cycloneritida (Cycloneritida)
Family	Pteropodidae (Fruit Bats)	Neritidae
Genus	Aproteles	Theodoxus
Species	Aproteles bulmerae	Theodoxus fluviatilis

Evolutionary Relationship

Bulmer's Fruit Bat and common freshwater nerite share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Bulmer's Fruit Bat

CR — Critically Endangered

common freshwater nerite

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Bulmer's Fruit Bat	common freshwater nerite
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Bulmer's Fruit Bat

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

common freshwater nerite

Habitat

Typically found in terrestrial and aquatic habitats including forests and freshwater.

Range

Found across Europe (11 countries).

Bulmer's Fruit Bat

The Bulmer's Fruit Bat (Aproteles bulmerae) is a species in the genus Aproteles. It is currently classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

common freshwater nerite

<em>Theodoxus fluviatilis</em>, commonly known as the common freshwater nerite, is a small aquatic gastropod mollusc belonging to the family Neritidae. This species is widely distributed across Europe, with documented occurrences in Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Norway, and Sweden. It typically inhabits freshwater environments, including rivers, streams, and lakes, where it grazes on algae and biofilm on hard substrates such as rocks and submerged wood. The common freshwater nerite is assessed as Least Concern on conservation metrics, reflecting its broad distribution and relatively stable populations across much of its European range. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature. <em>Theodoxus fluviatilis</em> plays an ecological role as a grazer in freshwater benthic communities, contributing to the regulation of algal growth on hard surfaces. The species typically favors clean, well-oxygenated waters and can serve as an indicator of water quality in freshwater systems. Its distinctive small, dome-shaped shell with variable patterning makes it recognizable among freshwater invertebrates.