Catkin Yew vs common river snail

Amentotaxus argotaenia compared with Viviparus viviparus

Key Differences

• Catkin Yew is Near Threatened while common river snail is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Catkin Yew	common river snail
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Coniferophyta (Conifers)	Mollusca (Mollusks)
Class	Pinopsida (Conifers)	Gastropoda (Gastropoda)
Order	Pinales (Pines & Allies)	Architaenioglossa (Architaenioglossa)
Family	Taxaceae	Viviparidae
Genus	Amentotaxus	Viviparus
Species	Amentotaxus argotaenia	Viviparus viviparus

Conservation Status

Catkin Yew

NT — Near Threatened

common river snail

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Catkin Yew	common river snail
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Catkin Yew

Habitat

Typically found in temperate and boreal forests, often at higher elevations.

common river snail

Habitat

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

Range

Found across Europe (7 countries).

Catkin Yew

The Catkin Yew (Amentotaxus argotaenia) is a species in the genus Amentotaxus. It is currently classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in temperate and boreal forests, often at higher elevations.

common river snail

<em>Viviparus viviparus</em>, the common river snail, is a freshwater gastropod mollusk in the family Viviparidae, order Architaenioglossa. It is distributed across Europe, with populations documented in Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, France, Germany, and Hungary, among other countries, typically inhabiting slow-moving and still freshwater bodies including rivers, canals, ponds, and ditches. The species is assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Common river snails typically live in soft-sediment benthic habitats, grazing on algae, aquatic plant material, and organic detritus using a radula — a ribbon-like feeding organ characteristic of gastropods. <em>Viviparus viviparus</em> is notable among freshwater mollusks for being viviparous, giving birth to fully formed juvenile snails rather than laying eggs, an adaptation reflected in both the genus and family names. This reproductive strategy typically results in small litter sizes but high juvenile survival compared to egg-laying mollusks. The species plays a role in benthic nutrient cycling and serves as prey for waterfowl, fish, and crayfish. Biological traits such as precise lifespan, body measurements, and population density data vary across localities and remain incompletely documented in comprehensive studies.