Collembola vs Common Eurasian spadefoot toad

Folsomides angularis compared with Pelobates fuscus

Key Differences

• Collembola is Not Evaluated while Common Eurasian spadefoot toad is Critically Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Collembola	Common Eurasian spadefoot toad
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Collembola (springtail)	Amphibia (Amphibians)
Order	Entomobryomorpha (Entomobryomorpha)	Anura (Frogs & Toads)
Family	Isotomidae	Pelobatidae
Genus	Folsomides	Pelobates
Species	Folsomides angularis	Pelobates fuscus

Evolutionary Relationship

Collembola and Common Eurasian spadefoot toad share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Collembola

NE — Not Evaluated

Common Eurasian spadefoot toad

CR — Critically Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Collembola	Common Eurasian spadefoot toad
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Collembola

Habitat

Native to Europe and North America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and United States.

Common Eurasian spadefoot toad

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, temperate coniferous forests, and boreal forests and taiga, among 8 distinct biome types within the Palearctic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

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

Collembola

<em>Folsomides angularis</em>, commonly referred to as Collembola in reference to its broader taxonomic order, is a springtail species belonging to the genus <em>Folsomides</em>. Springtails are among the most abundant hexapods in terrestrial ecosystems, playing important roles in soil decomposition and nutrient cycling. This species has been documented in Europe, with records from Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, as well as North America, where it is known from the United States. It typically inhabits soil, leaf litter, and decaying organic matter, and is capable of tolerating a range of environmental conditions. Springtails of this group are detritivores, feeding on decomposing plant material, fungal hyphae, and microorganisms, though specific dietary data for <em>Folsomides angularis</em> are not detailed in current records. The species has not been formally assessed for conservation status. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature. Its small body size and cryptic lifestyle make detailed ecological study challenging.

Common Eurasian spadefoot toad

<em>Pelobates fuscus</em>, the common Eurasian spadefoot toad, is a fossorial amphibian in the family Pelobatidae, listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN Red List, reflecting severe population declines and an urgent conservation status across its range. The species is documented in Belgium, Denmark, Luxembourg, Russia, and Sweden, and is associated with multiple biome types in the Palearctic region, typically favoring sandy, loose soils in agricultural landscapes, sandy heathlands, and open forests that facilitate its burrowing lifestyle. <em>Pelobates fuscus</em> spends the majority of its life underground, emerging primarily during the breeding season in spring to migrate to shallow, well-vegetated ponds, ditches, and slow-moving waterbodies for reproduction. The species is characterized by its smooth, mottled skin, large golden or yellowish eyes with vertical pupils, and the hardened metatarsal tubercle on each hind foot that serves as a digging tool. Tadpoles of this species are unusually large and can take up to five months to metamorphose. Primary threats include habitat loss through land-use change, drainage of breeding ponds, agricultural intensification, road mortality during migration, and degradation of sandy habitats essential for burrowing. Conservation efforts focus on habitat restoration and the creation of wildlife corridors. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 2 countries:

🇩🇰 Denmark 🇸🇪 Sweden