Mourning Cloak vs Pallid Ground Squirrel

Nymphalis antiopa compared with Spermophilus pallidicauda

Key Differences

• Mourning Cloak is Critically Endangered while Pallid Ground Squirrel is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Mourning Cloak	Pallid Ground Squirrel
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Insecta (Insects)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)	Rodentia (Rodents)
Family	Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)	Sciuridae (Squirrels)
Genus	Nymphalis	Spermophilus
Species	Nymphalis antiopa	Spermophilus pallidicauda

Evolutionary Relationship

Mourning Cloak and Pallid Ground Squirrel share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Mourning Cloak

CR — Critically Endangered

Pallid Ground Squirrel

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Mourning Cloak	Pallid Ground Squirrel
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Mourning Cloak

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, temperate coniferous forests, and boreal forests and taiga, among 9 distinct biome types within the Palearctic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Found across Europe (39 countries) and North America (Canada, United States). Currently classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Pallid Ground Squirrel

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Mourning Cloak

Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa) is classified as Critically Endangered (CR) on the IUCN Red List. Facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild due to severe population decline and habitat loss.