Common Baskettail vs small tortoiseshell

Epitheca cynosura compared with Aglais urticae

Key Differences

• Common Baskettail is Least Concern while small tortoiseshell is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common Baskettail	small tortoiseshell
Kingdom same	Animalia (hayvan)	Animalia (hayvan)
Phylum same	Arthropoda (Eklem bacaklılar)	Arthropoda (Eklem bacaklılar)
Class same	Insecta (böcek)	Insecta (böcek)
Order	Odonata (Kızböcekleri)	Lepidoptera (Pul kanatlılar)
Family	Corduliidae	Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)
Genus	Epitheca	Aglais
Species	Epitheca cynosura	Aglais urticae

Evolutionary Relationship

Common Baskettail and small tortoiseshell share a common ancestor at the Class level: Insecta. (böcek)

Conservation Status

Common Baskettail

LC — Least Concern

small tortoiseshell

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common Baskettail	small tortoiseshell
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Common Baskettail

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Found in 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.

Common Baskettail

The common baskettail (<em>Epitheca cynosura</em>) is a dragonfly found across terrestrial and freshwater habitats of the United States. It is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, reflecting a stable and widespread population within its native range. <em>Epitheca cynosura</em> belongs to the family Corduliidae and is typically associated with ponds, lakes, marshes, and slow-moving streams, where its aquatic larvae develop. Adults are often observed patrolling over open water and forest edges in search of prey and mates. The species is named for the basket-like egg mass that females carry at the tip of their abdomen before depositing eggs in water. Males often form feeding swarms, particularly in the morning hours, where they capture small flying insects. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.

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.