Chimaera vs small tortoiseshell

Chimaera monstrosa compared with Aglais urticae

Key Differences

• Chimaera is Vulnerable while small tortoiseshell is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Chimaera	small tortoiseshell
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Holocephali (Holocephali)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Chimaeriformes (Chimaeriformes)	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)
Family	Chimaeridae	Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)
Genus	Chimaera	Aglais
Species	Chimaera monstrosa	Aglais urticae

Evolutionary Relationship

Chimaera and small tortoiseshell share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Chimaera

VU — Vulnerable

small tortoiseshell

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Chimaera	small tortoiseshell
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Chimaera

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Norway, Portugal, and Sweden. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

small tortoiseshell

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Found across Europe (41 countries). Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Chimaera

The Chimaera (Chimaera monstrosa) is a species in the genus Chimaera. It is currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

small tortoiseshell

small tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae) is classified as Near Threatened (NT) on the IUCN Red List. Close to qualifying as threatened, with populations that may become vulnerable without conservation action.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 4 countries:

🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇵🇹 Portugal 🇸🇪 Sweden