clouded magpie vs

Abraxas sylvata compared with Comatricha filamentosa

Key Differences

• clouded magpie is Vulnerable while is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	clouded magpie
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Protozoa (protozoa)
Phylum	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Mycetozoa
Class	Insecta (Insects)	Myxomycetes (Myxomycetes)
Order	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)	Stemonitidales
Family	Geometridae	Stemonitidaceae
Genus	Abraxas	Comatricha
Species	Abraxas sylvata	Comatricha filamentosa

Conservation Status

clouded magpie

VU — Vulnerable

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	clouded magpie
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

clouded magpie

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

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

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Norway and Sweden.

clouded magpie

The clouded magpie (Abraxas sylvata) is a geometrid moth in the family Geometridae found across temperate Europe, extending eastward through Russia to Japan. The adult wingspan measures approximately 32–42 mm, with white wings bearing a distinctive pattern of yellow-orange and dark grey to black spots and patches arranged in rows across the forewing and hindwing, creating a striking patterned appearance resembling the magpie coloring of the related magpie moth Abraxas grossulariata, but with a more yellowish, muted tone and less black — hence 'clouded.' Adults fly in one generation from June to July, resting on leaf surfaces and attending woodland flowers for nectar. The larvae feed on wych elm (Ulmus glabra) and occasionally other Ulmus species in mature deciduous woodland and woodland edges. The clouded magpie has become less common in parts of its European range due to the widespread loss of mature elms from Dutch elm disease, which devastated European elm populations from the 1970s onward. Conservation of this species requires the protection of surviving mature elm trees and management of regrowth elms in woodland ecosystems.

<em>Comatricha filamentosa</em> is a myxomycete belonging to the genus <em>Comatricha</em>, order Stemonitidales, class Myxomycetes. The species is distinguished within the genus by features of its filamentous capillitial threads and spore morphology, which are used as diagnostic characters in taxonomic identification. It has been recorded from Europe, where it inhabits decaying wood and plant litter in forest and woodland habitats. Like other plasmodial slime molds, <em>C. filamentosa</em> passes through a motile plasmodial feeding stage, consuming bacteria, fungi, and decomposing organic matter, before forming fruiting bodies under conditions of environmental stress or nutritional depletion. The resulting sporangia release spores suited for wind dispersal. This species plays a role in nutrient cycling within woodland ecosystems. No quantitative biological metrics are available, and it has not been assessed by the IUCN.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 2 countries:

🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden