Lesser Smoothcap vs small tortoiseshell

Atrichum angustatum compared with Aglais urticae

Key Differences

• Lesser Smoothcap is Vulnerable while small tortoiseshell is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Lesser Smoothcap	small tortoiseshell
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Bryophyta	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Polytrichopsida (Polytrichopsida)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Polytrichales (Polytrichales)	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)
Family	Polytrichaceae	Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)
Genus	Atrichum	Aglais
Species	Atrichum angustatum	Aglais urticae

Conservation Status

Lesser Smoothcap

VU — Vulnerable

small tortoiseshell

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Lesser Smoothcap	small tortoiseshell
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Lesser Smoothcap

Habitat

Native to Europe and North America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Found across Europe (5 countries) and North America (United States). Currently classified as Vulnerable 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 5 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇵🇹 Portugal 🇸🇪 Sweden