Cramp Balls vs Etruscan Shrew

Daldinia concentrica compared with Suncus etruscus

Key Differences

• Cramp Balls is Vulnerable while Etruscan Shrew is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Cramp Balls	Etruscan Shrew
Kingdom	Fungi (Fungi)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Ascomycota (Sac Fungi)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Sordariomycetes (Sordariomycetes)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Xylariales (Xylariales)	Soricomorpha (Soricomorpha)
Family	Hypoxylaceae	Soricidae
Genus	Daldinia	Suncus
Species	Daldinia concentrica	Suncus etruscus

Conservation Status

Cramp Balls

VU — Vulnerable

Etruscan Shrew

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Cramp Balls	Etruscan Shrew
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Cramp Balls

Habitat

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

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Taiwan), Europe (5 countries), North America (United States), and South America (Brazil). Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Etruscan Shrew

Habitat

Inhabits deserts and xeric shrublands within the Afrotropic biogeographic realm.

Range

Found across Asia (Cyprus, Yemen) and Europe (6 countries).

Etruscan Shrew

Etruscan Shrew (Suncus etruscus) is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List. Widespread and abundant across its range, with stable populations and no immediate conservation concerns.