Cow-nosed ray vs small tortoiseshell

Rhinoptera bonasus compared with Aglais urticae

Key Differences

• Cow-nosed ray is Vulnerable while small tortoiseshell is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Cow-nosed ray	small tortoiseshell
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Elasmobranchii	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Myliobatiformes (Myliobatiformes)	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)
Family	Myliobatidae	Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)
Genus	Rhinoptera	Aglais
Species	Rhinoptera bonasus	Aglais urticae

Evolutionary Relationship

Cow-nosed ray and small tortoiseshell share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Cow-nosed ray

VU — Vulnerable

small tortoiseshell

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Cow-nosed ray	small tortoiseshell
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Cow-nosed ray

Habitat

Native to South America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Found in Venezuela. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

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.