Golden hamster vs small tortoiseshell

Mesocricetus auratus compared with Aglais urticae

Key Differences

• Golden hamster is Not Evaluated while small tortoiseshell is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Golden hamster	small tortoiseshell
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Rodentia (Rodents)	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)
Family	Cricetidae	Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)
Genus	Mesocricetus	Aglais
Species	Mesocricetus auratus	Aglais urticae

Evolutionary Relationship

Golden hamster and small tortoiseshell share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Golden hamster

NE — Not Evaluated

small tortoiseshell

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Golden hamster	small tortoiseshell
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Golden hamster

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Found across Europe (7 countries) and South America (Colombia, Ecuador).

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 7 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇫🇷 France 🇩🇪 Germany 🇳🇱 Netherlands 🇳🇴 Norway 🇬🇧 United Kingdom