Common Spangle Gall vs Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan

Neuroterus quercusbaccarum compared with Andigena hypoglauca

Key Differences

• Common Spangle Gall is Not Evaluated while Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common Spangle Gall	Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan
Kingdom same	Animalia (สัตว์)	Animalia (สัตว์)
Phylum	Arthropoda (สัตว์ขาปล้อง)	Chordata (สัตว์มีแกนสันหลัง)
Class	Insecta (แมลง)	Aves (นก)
Order	Hymenoptera (แตน)	Piciformes (อันดับนกหัวขวานและนกโพระดก)
Family	Cynipidae	Ramphastidae
Genus	Neuroterus	Andigena
Species	Neuroterus quercusbaccarum	Andigena hypoglauca

Evolutionary Relationship

Common Spangle Gall and Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (สัตว์)

Conservation Status

Common Spangle Gall

NE — Not Evaluated

Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common Spangle Gall	Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Common Spangle Gall

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and United States.

Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan

Habitat

Typically found in various aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environments.

Range

Distributed across Colombia, Ecuador, and Norway. Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Common Spangle Gall

<em>Neuroterus quercusbaccarum</em>, commonly known as the common spangle gall, is a small gall wasp in the family Cynipidae, closely associated with oaks in Europe and western Asia. This species is notable for its complex life cycle involving alternating sexual and asexual generations, each producing morphologically distinct galls on its oak hosts. The asexual generation typically induces flat, disc-shaped "spangle" galls on the undersides of oak leaves, while the sexual generation produces small "currant" galls on oak catkins and leaves in spring. <em>Neuroterus quercusbaccarum</em> is widely distributed across Europe, extending into parts of western Asia and North Africa wherever suitable oak hosts, particularly <em>Quercus robur</em> and <em>Quercus petraea</em>, occur. The species has not been evaluated under IUCN Red List criteria, and population trends are not formally monitored, though it remains common across much of its range. Biological traits such as average lifespan in years, body dimensions, and weight remain poorly documented in the scientific literature for this minute insect. The larvae develop entirely within gall tissue, feeding on plant nutrients provided by the gall structure they induce. Adult wasps are free-living and do not feed substantially. Conservation status is listed as Not Evaluated.

Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan

Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan (Andigena hypoglauca) 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.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 1 countries:

🇳🇴 Norway