ringless spoon moss vs small tortoiseshell

Sarmentypnum exannulatum compared with Aglais urticae

Key Differences

ringless spoon moss is Least Concern while small tortoiseshell is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	ringless spoon moss	small tortoiseshell
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Bryophyta	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Bryopsida (Bryopsida)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Hypnales (Hypnales)	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)
Family	Calliergonaceae	Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)
Genus	Sarmentypnum	Aglais
Species	Sarmentypnum exannulatum	Aglais urticae

Conservation Status

ringless spoon moss

LC — Least Concern

small tortoiseshell

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	ringless spoon moss	small tortoiseshell
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

ringless spoon moss

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Norway, Sweden, and United States.

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 (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.