Duck barnacle vs small tortoiseshell

Lepas anatifera compared with Aglais urticae

Key Differences

• Duck barnacle is Not Evaluated while small tortoiseshell is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Duck barnacle	small tortoiseshell
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Maxillopoda (Maxillopoda)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Pedunculata (Pedunculata)	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)
Family	Lepadidae	Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)
Genus	Lepas	Aglais
Species	Lepas anatifera	Aglais urticae

Evolutionary Relationship

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

Conservation Status

Duck barnacle

NE — Not Evaluated

small tortoiseshell

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Duck barnacle	small tortoiseshell
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Duck barnacle

Habitat

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

Range

Found across Asia (Taiwan) and Europe (5 countries).

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 5 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇵🇹 Portugal 🇸🇪 Sweden