Common Spangle Gall vs Common Tent-making Bat

Neuroterus quercusbaccarum compared with Uroderma bilobatum

Key Differences

• Common Spangle Gall is Not Evaluated while Common Tent-making Bat is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common Spangle Gall	Common Tent-making Bat
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Insecta (Insects)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees & Wasps)	Chiroptera (Bats)
Family	Cynipidae	Phyllostomidae
Genus	Neuroterus	Uroderma
Species	Neuroterus quercusbaccarum	Uroderma bilobatum

Evolutionary Relationship

Common Spangle Gall and Common Tent-making Bat share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Common Spangle Gall

NE — Not Evaluated

Common Tent-making Bat

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common Spangle Gall	Common Tent-making Bat
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Common Spangle Gall

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

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

Common Tent-making Bat

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Distributed across Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela.

Common Spangle Gall

<em>Neuroterus quercusbaccarum</em>, commonly known as the common spangle gall, is a small gall wasp in the family Cynipidae, closely associated with oaks in Europe and western Asia. This species is notable for its complex life cycle involving alternating sexual and asexual generations, each producing morphologically distinct galls on its oak hosts. The asexual generation typically induces flat, disc-shaped "spangle" galls on the undersides of oak leaves, while the sexual generation produces small "currant" galls on oak catkins and leaves in spring. <em>Neuroterus quercusbaccarum</em> is widely distributed across Europe, extending into parts of western Asia and North Africa wherever suitable oak hosts, particularly <em>Quercus robur</em> and <em>Quercus petraea</em>, occur. The species has not been evaluated under IUCN Red List criteria, and population trends are not formally monitored, though it remains common across much of its range. Biological traits such as average lifespan in years, body dimensions, and weight remain poorly documented in the scientific literature for this minute insect. The larvae develop entirely within gall tissue, feeding on plant nutrients provided by the gall structure they induce. Adult wasps are free-living and do not feed substantially. Conservation status is listed as Not Evaluated.

Common Tent-making Bat

<em>Uroderma bilobatum</em>, the tent-making bat, is a leaf-nosed bat in the family Phyllostomidae, distributed across Central America and northern South America, including Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela. It is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List due to its wide range and tolerance of secondary and disturbed habitats. This bat is named for its remarkable behavior of biting through the midribs of large palm or Heliconia leaves to cause them to fold into tent-like roosts, which are used for shelter by small colonies. It typically inhabits tropical and subtropical lowland forests, forest edges, and plantations. The diet consists primarily of fruits, particularly figs, making it an important seed disperser in neotropical ecosystems. Roosting groups are typically small, composed of one male and several females. The species uses echolocation for navigation. Biological traits such as precise wing dimensions, body weight, and longevity remain poorly documented in standardized assessments, though adults typically weigh between 13 and 20 grams.