Burdock Conch vs Coastal Flat-body

Aethes rubigana compared with Agonopterix yeatiana

Key Differences

  • Burdock Conch is Least Concern while Coastal Flat-body is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank Burdock Conch Coastal Flat-body
Kingdom same Animalia (Animals) Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same Arthropoda (Arthropods) Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class same Insecta (Insects) Insecta (Insects)
Order same Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths) Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)
Family Tortricidae Depressariidae
Genus Aethes Agonopterix
Species Aethes rubigana Agonopterix yeatiana

Evolutionary Relationship

Burdock Conch and Coastal Flat-body share a common ancestor at the Order level: Lepidoptera. (Butterflies & Moths)

Conservation Status

Burdock Conch

LC — Least Concern

Coastal Flat-body

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute Burdock Conch Coastal Flat-body
Diet
Average Lifespan
Average Length
Average Weight

Habitat & Geographic Range

Burdock Conch

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

Coastal Flat-body

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

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

Burdock Conch

The Burdock Conch (Aethes rubigana) is a species in the genus Aethes. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Coastal Flat-body

Agonopterix yeatiana, the coastal flat-body, is a small moth in the family Depressariidae native to coastal and calcareous grassland habitats across western and northern Europe, with records from Belgium, Denmark, and Sweden. Moths in the family Depressariidae, commonly called flat-body moths due to the depressed posture they adopt when resting with wings held flat against the surface, are associated predominantly with umbellifer plants of the family Apiaceae as larval hosts. Agonopterix yeatiana larvae feed on wild carrot (Daucus carota), wild parsnip (Pastinaca sativa), and related coastal and grassland Apiaceae species, inhabiting the open, often calcareous or sandy habitats where these plants grow. Adult moths have greyish-brown forewing with a distinctive pattern of spots and dashes and reach approximately 8–12 millimeters in wingspan. The species is classified as Near Threatened by the IUCN, reflecting declines associated with the loss of traditional hay meadow management, coastal grassland degradation, and scrub encroachment that eliminates the open, flower-rich grassland habitats supporting its host plants. Agricultural intensification has reduced wild umbellifer populations significantly across lowland Europe, reducing food resources for larvae of specialist moths like A. yeatiana.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 3 countries:

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