Gewöhnlicher Pelikanfuß vs Mittelmeer-Pelikanfuß

Aporrhais pespelecani compared with Aporrhais serresiana

Key Differences

• Gewöhnlicher Pelikanfuß is Least Concern while Mittelmeer-Pelikanfuß is Data Deficient.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Gewöhnlicher Pelikanfuß	Mittelmeer-Pelikanfuß
Kingdom same	Animalia (Tier)	Animalia (Tier)
Phylum same	Mollusca (Weichtiere)	Mollusca (Weichtiere)
Class same	Gastropoda (Schnecken)	Gastropoda (Schnecken)
Order same	Littorinimorpha (Littorinimorpha)	Littorinimorpha (Littorinimorpha)
Family same	Aporrhaidae	Aporrhaidae
Genus same	Aporrhais	Aporrhais
Species	Aporrhais pespelecani	Aporrhais serresiana

Evolutionary Relationship

Gewöhnlicher Pelikanfuß and Mittelmeer-Pelikanfuß share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Aporrhais.

Conservation Status

Gewöhnlicher Pelikanfuß

LC — Least Concern

Mittelmeer-Pelikanfuß

DD — Data Deficient

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Gewöhnlicher Pelikanfuß	Mittelmeer-Pelikanfuß
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Gewöhnlicher Pelikanfuß

Habitat

Typically found in terrestrial and aquatic habitats including forests and freshwater.

Range

Found across Asia (Turkey) and Europe (5 countries).

Mittelmeer-Pelikanfuß

Habitat

Typically found in terrestrial and aquatic habitats including forests and freshwater.

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

Gewöhnlicher Pelikanfuß

<em>Aporrhais pespelecani</em>, commonly known as the common pelican's foot, is a marine gastropod mollusk belonging to the family Aporrhaidae. This distinctive snail is named for its unusual shell shape, which features a flared outer lip with finger-like projections resembling a pelican's webbed foot. It inhabits sandy and muddy substrates of shallow coastal seas, typically found at depths ranging from the intertidal zone to several hundred metres. The species is distributed across temperate European waters, with confirmed records from Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, as well as Turkey, indicating a range spanning the northeastern Atlantic and parts of the Mediterranean and Black Sea. <em>Aporrhais pespelecani</em> typically buries itself partially in soft sediments, where it feeds on organic detritus and microalgae. The species is assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, reflecting its relatively wide distribution and absence of major threats. Biological traits such as average lifespan, body size, and detailed dietary composition remain poorly documented in the scientific literature. Populations are generally considered stable, though localised habitat degradation from coastal development and trawling may pose risks in certain parts of its range.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 3 countries:

🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden