small tortoiseshell vs Speckled ray

Aglais urticae compared with Raja polystigma

Key Differences

• small tortoiseshell is Near Threatened while Speckled ray is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	small tortoiseshell	Speckled ray
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Insecta (Insects)	Elasmobranchii
Order	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)	Rajiformes (Rajiformes)
Family	Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)	Rajidae
Genus	Aglais	Raja
Species	Aglais urticae	Raja polystigma

Evolutionary Relationship

small tortoiseshell and Speckled ray share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

small tortoiseshell

NT — Near Threatened

Speckled ray

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	small tortoiseshell	Speckled ray
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic 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.

Speckled ray

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.