Japanese Weasel vs St. James' shell

Mustela itatsi compared with Pecten maximus

Key Differences

• Japanese Weasel is Near Threatened while St. James' shell is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Japanese Weasel	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	Mustela	Pecten
Species	Mustela itatsi	Pecten maximus

Evolutionary Relationship

Japanese Weasel and St. James' shell share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Japanese Weasel

NT — Near Threatened

St. James' shell

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Japanese Weasel	St. James' shell
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Japanese Weasel

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Found in Japan. Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

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).

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.