Least Moonwort vs Lesser Pencil-tailed Tree Mouse

Botrychium simplex compared with Chiropodomys pusillus

Key Differences

• Least Moonwort is Endangered while Lesser Pencil-tailed Tree Mouse is Data Deficient.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Least Moonwort	Lesser Pencil-tailed Tree Mouse
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Tracheophyta	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Polypodiopsida (Polypodiopsida)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Ophioglossales (Ophioglossales)	Rodentia (Rodents)
Family	Ophioglossaceae	Muridae (Mice & Rats)
Genus	Botrychium	Chiropodomys
Species	Botrychium simplex	Chiropodomys pusillus

Conservation Status

Least Moonwort

EN — Endangered

Lesser Pencil-tailed Tree Mouse

DD — Data Deficient

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Least Moonwort	Lesser Pencil-tailed Tree Mouse
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Least Moonwort

Habitat

Inhabits boreal forests and taiga within the Palearctic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Found across Europe (8 countries) and North America (United States). Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Lesser Pencil-tailed Tree Mouse

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.