clouded magpie vs Common Lesser Toad

Abraxas sylvata compared with Rhinella granulosa

Key Differences

  • clouded magpie is Vulnerable while Common Lesser Toad is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank clouded magpie Common Lesser Toad
Kingdom same Animalia (Animals) Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods) Chordata (Chordates)
Class Insecta (Insects) Amphibia (Amphibians)
Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths) Anura (Frogs & Toads)
Family Geometridae Bufonidae
Genus Abraxas Rhinella
Species Abraxas sylvata Rhinella granulosa

Evolutionary Relationship

clouded magpie and Common Lesser Toad share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

clouded magpie

VU — Vulnerable

Common Lesser Toad

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute clouded magpie Common Lesser Toad
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.

Common Lesser Toad

Habitat

Typically found in freshwater habitats, moist forests, and wetlands.

Range

Found in Colombia.

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.

Common Lesser Toad

<em>Rhinella granulosa</em>, commonly known as the common lesser toad, is a small amphibian belonging to the family Bufonidae. This species is native to Colombia and is typically found in freshwater ecosystems, moist tropical forests, and wetland habitats. It inhabits lowland and foothill environments where moisture is consistently available throughout the year. The common lesser toad is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, indicating that its populations are currently stable and not under significant threat. Like other members of the genus Rhinella, it is typically insectivorous, feeding on small invertebrates found in its humid forest floor environment. The species plays an important ecological role as both predator of insects and prey for larger animals within its native Colombian range. Its granular skin texture, referenced in its scientific name, provides some protection from predators. Population trends remain stable, and the species benefits from the relative abundance of suitable freshwater and forest habitats across its range in Colombia.

Nature FYI Family

Explore more of the natural world across our sister sites.

Part of the Nature FYI family — FYIPedia