European pine marten vs St. James' shell

Martes martes compared with Pecten maximus

Key Differences

European pine marten is Critically Endangered while St. James' shell is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	European pine marten	St. James' shell
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Mollusca (Mollusks)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Bivalvia (Bivalvia)
Order	Carnivora (Carnivorans)	Pectinida (Pectinida)
Family	Mustelidae (Weasels & Otters)	Pectinidae
Genus	Martes	Pecten
Species	Martes martes	Pecten maximus

Evolutionary Relationship

European pine marten and St. James' shell share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

View Kingdom: Animalia

Conservation Status

European pine marten

CR — Critically Endangered

St. James' shell

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	European pine marten	St. James' shell
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

European pine marten

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, temperate coniferous forests, and Mediterranean forests and woodlands within the Palearctic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

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

St. James' shell

Habitat

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

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (China), Europe (8 countries), and South America (Chile).

European pine marten

European pine marten (Martes martes) is classified as Critically Endangered (CR) on the IUCN Red List. Facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild due to severe population decline and habitat loss.

St. James' shell

St. James' shell (Pecten maximus) 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.