Eurasian pygmy shrew vs Five-spot Ermel

Sorex minutus compared with Ethmia terminella

Key Differences

• Eurasian pygmy shrew is Vulnerable while Five-spot Ermel is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Eurasian pygmy shrew	Five-spot Ermel
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Soricomorpha (Soricomorpha)	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)
Family	Soricidae	Ethmiidae
Genus	Sorex	Ethmia
Species	Sorex minutus	Ethmia terminella

Evolutionary Relationship

Eurasian pygmy shrew and Five-spot Ermel share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Eurasian pygmy shrew

VU — Vulnerable

Five-spot Ermel

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Eurasian pygmy shrew	Five-spot Ermel
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Eurasian pygmy shrew

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Found across Europe (6 countries). Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Five-spot Ermel

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

Eurasian pygmy shrew

Eurasian pygmy shrew (Sorex minutus) is classified as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List. Facing a high risk of endangerment in the wild, with declining populations and increasing habitat pressure.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 4 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden