Common Roller vs Large-Neck Clam

Ancylis badiana compared with Mya arenaria

Key Differences

• Common Roller is Least Concern while Large-Neck Clam is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common Roller	Large-Neck Clam
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Mollusca (Mollusks)
Class	Insecta (Insects)	Bivalvia (Bivalvia)
Order	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)	Myida (Myida)
Family	Tortricidae	Myidae
Genus	Ancylis	Mya
Species	Ancylis badiana	Mya arenaria

Evolutionary Relationship

Common Roller and Large-Neck Clam share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Common Roller

LC — Least Concern

Large-Neck Clam

VU — Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common Roller	Large-Neck Clam
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Common Roller

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

Large-Neck Clam

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, temperate coniferous forests, and temperate grasslands and steppes, among 5 distinct biome types within the Palearctic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Georgia, Turkey), Europe (22 countries), and North America (Canada, United States). Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Common Roller

<em>Ancylis badiana</em>, the common roller, is a small moth in the family Tortricidae, order Lepidoptera. It is distributed across northwestern Europe, with documented records from Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, typically inhabiting woodland margins, hedgerows, scrubland, and areas where its larval host plants are abundant. The species is assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Tortricid moths in the genus Ancylis are commonly known as "rollers" or "leafrollers" because their larvae typically roll or fold leaves of host plants to create sheltered feeding structures. <em>Ancylis badiana</em> larvae feed on the foliage of various herbaceous plants, particularly species in the pea family (Fabaceae). Adults are small moths with intricately patterned wings that provide camouflage against bark and plant material. Adult moths are primarily nocturnal and are attracted to light, while larvae are cryptic within their leaf shelters. Biological traits such as lifespan, body measurements, and detailed diet host range remain poorly documented beyond general family-level characteristics. The species typically completes one to two generations per year in temperate European climates, overwintering as pupae. It is considered a minor component of invertebrate biodiversity in European lowland habitats.

Large-Neck Clam

Large-Neck Clam (Mya arenaria) is classified as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List. Facing a high risk of endangerment in the wild, with declining populations and increasing habitat pressure.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 4 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden