Handley s Slender Opossum vs small tortoiseshell

Marmosops handleyi compared with Aglais urticae

Key Differences

• Handley s Slender Opossum is Critically Endangered while small tortoiseshell is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Handley s Slender Opossum	small tortoiseshell
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Didelphimorphia (Didelphimorphia)	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)
Family	Didelphidae	Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)
Genus	Marmosops	Aglais
Species	Marmosops handleyi	Aglais urticae

Evolutionary Relationship

Handley s Slender Opossum and small tortoiseshell share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Handley s Slender Opossum

CR — Critically Endangered

small tortoiseshell

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Handley s Slender Opossum	small tortoiseshell
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Handley s Slender Opossum

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, and montane grasslands and shrublands, among 4 distinct biome types spanning the Neotropic and Oceanian realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Found in Colombia. Currently classified as Critically 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.