Cosmopolitan Springtail vs small tortoiseshell

Entomobrya nivalis compared with Aglais urticae

Key Differences

• Cosmopolitan Springtail is Not Evaluated while small tortoiseshell is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Cosmopolitan Springtail	small tortoiseshell
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Collembola (springtail)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Entomobryomorpha (Entomobryomorpha)	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)
Family	Entomobryidae	Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)
Genus	Entomobrya	Aglais
Species	Entomobrya nivalis	Aglais urticae

Evolutionary Relationship

Cosmopolitan Springtail and small tortoiseshell share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Arthropoda. (Arthropods)

Conservation Status

Cosmopolitan Springtail

NE — Not Evaluated

small tortoiseshell

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Cosmopolitan Springtail	small tortoiseshell
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Cosmopolitan Springtail

Habitat

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

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (South Africa), Europe (4 countries), and North America (United States).

small tortoiseshell

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Found across Europe (41 countries). Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

small tortoiseshell

small tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae) is classified as Near Threatened (NT) on the IUCN Red List. Close to qualifying as threatened, with populations that may become vulnerable without conservation action.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 4 countries:

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