Common Groundhopper vs Elegant Water Shrew

Tetrix undulata compared with Nectogale elegans

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common Groundhopper	Elegant Water Shrew
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Insecta (Insects)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Orthoptera (Orthoptera)	Soricomorpha (Soricomorpha)
Family	Tetrigidae	Soricidae
Genus	Tetrix	Nectogale
Species	Tetrix undulata	Nectogale elegans

Evolutionary Relationship

Common Groundhopper and Elegant Water Shrew share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Common Groundhopper

LC — Least Concern

Elegant Water Shrew

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common Groundhopper	Elegant Water Shrew
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Common Groundhopper

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Luxembourg, Norway, and Sweden.

Elegant Water Shrew

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Common Groundhopper

The common groundhopper, <em>Tetrix undulata</em>, is a small insect belonging to the order Orthoptera, family Tetrigidae. This species has an exceptionally broad ecological tolerance and is typically found across virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitat types within its range. Its distribution spans Belgium, Denmark, Luxembourg, Norway, and Sweden, reflecting a wide presence across northern and western Europe. Unlike most grasshoppers, groundhoppers typically lack fully developed hind wings in some individuals and are often found on bare ground, mossy substrates, and near water margins. <em>Tetrix undulata</em> is assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, indicating stable populations across its European range. No dietary information has been provided for this species. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.