Circular Ear Shell vs Colombian Small-eared Shrew

Haliotis cyclobates compared with Cryptotis colombiana

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Circular Ear Shell	Colombian Small-eared Shrew
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Mollusca (Mollusks)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Gastropoda (Gastropoda)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Lepetellida (Lepetellida)	Soricomorpha (Soricomorpha)
Family	Haliotidae	Soricidae
Genus	Haliotis	Cryptotis
Species	Haliotis cyclobates	Cryptotis colombiana

Evolutionary Relationship

Circular Ear Shell and Colombian Small-eared Shrew share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Circular Ear Shell

LC — Least Concern

Colombian Small-eared Shrew

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Circular Ear Shell	Colombian Small-eared Shrew
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Circular Ear Shell

Habitat

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

Colombian Small-eared Shrew

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Found in Colombia.

Circular Ear Shell

The Circular Ear Shell (Haliotis cyclobates) is a species in the genus Haliotis. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in terrestrial and aquatic habitats including forests and freshwater.

Colombian Small-eared Shrew

<em>Cryptotis colombiana</em>, the Colombian small-eared shrew, is a diminutive insectivorous mammal belonging to the family Soricidae, endemic to Colombia. This species typically inhabits montane environments, including humid cloud forests and high-altitude grasslands known locally as páramo, where it forages actively through leaf litter and soil for invertebrate prey. Small-eared shrews of the genus <em>Cryptotis</em> are characterised by their notably reduced external ears, high metabolic rates, and nearly constant activity cycles driven by the energetic demands of maintaining body temperature. <em>Cryptotis colombiana</em> is currently assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN, suggesting that its population is relatively stable within its Colombian range. Despite this status, Andean shrews face ongoing pressures from land conversion, cattle grazing in páramo ecosystems, and climate-driven shifts in vegetation zones. The species contributes to soil aeration and invertebrate population regulation within its montane habitat. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.