Nutmeg vs small tortoiseshell

Myristica fragrans compared with Aglais urticae

Key Differences

• Nutmeg is Data Deficient while small tortoiseshell is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Nutmeg	small tortoiseshell
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Magnoliales (Magnoliales)	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)
Family	Myristicaceae	Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)
Genus	Myristica	Aglais
Species	Myristica fragrans	Aglais urticae

Conservation Status

Nutmeg

DD — Data Deficient

small tortoiseshell

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Nutmeg	small tortoiseshell
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Nutmeg

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, and flooded grasslands and savannas, among 6 distinct biome types spanning the Afrotropic and Indomalayan realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (Congo (DRC), Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles), Asia (India, Laos, Taiwan), and South America (Brazil).

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.