elongate copper moss vs small tortoiseshell

Mielichhoferia elongata compared with Aglais urticae

Key Differences

• elongate copper moss is Vulnerable while small tortoiseshell is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	elongate copper moss	small tortoiseshell
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Bryophyta	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Bryopsida (Bryopsida)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Bryales (Bryales)	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)
Family	Mniaceae	Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)
Genus	Mielichhoferia	Aglais
Species	Mielichhoferia elongata	Aglais urticae

Conservation Status

elongate copper moss

VU — Vulnerable

small tortoiseshell

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	elongate copper moss	small tortoiseshell
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

elongate copper moss

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Norway and Sweden. 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.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 2 countries:

🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden