gowen-cypress vs small tortoiseshell

Cupressus goveniana compared with Aglais urticae

Key Differences

• gowen-cypress is Endangered while small tortoiseshell is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	gowen-cypress	small tortoiseshell
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Coniferophyta (Conifers)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Pinopsida (Conifers)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Pinales (Pines & Allies)	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)
Family	Cupressaceae	Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)
Genus	Cupressus	Aglais
Species	Cupressus goveniana	Aglais urticae

Conservation Status

gowen-cypress

EN — Endangered

small tortoiseshell

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	gowen-cypress	small tortoiseshell
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

gowen-cypress

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, Mediterranean forests and woodlands, and deserts and xeric shrublands, among 4 distinct biome types spanning the Neotropic and Palearctic realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (Libya), Asia (India), Europe (4 countries), and South America (Brazil, Chile). Currently classified as Endangered 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 4 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇫🇷 France 🇳🇱 Netherlands 🇬🇧 United Kingdom