Cramp Balls vs Ornate Shrew

Daldinia concentrica compared with Sorex ornatus

Key Differences

Cramp Balls is Vulnerable while Ornate Shrew is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Cramp Balls	Ornate 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	Sorex
Species	Daldinia concentrica	Sorex ornatus

Conservation Status

Cramp Balls

VU — Vulnerable

Ornate Shrew

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Cramp Balls	Ornate 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.