a Sand Martin flea vs African elephant

Ceratophyllus styx compared with Loxodonta africana

Key Differences

• a Sand Martin flea is Not Evaluated while African elephant is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	a Sand Martin flea	African elephant
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Insecta (Insects)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Siphonaptera (Siphonaptera)	Proboscidea (Elephants)
Family	Ceratophyllidae	Elephantidae (Elephants)
Genus	Ceratophyllus	Loxodonta (African Elephants)
Species	Ceratophyllus styx	Loxodonta africana

Evolutionary Relationship

a Sand Martin flea and African elephant share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

a Sand Martin flea

NE — Not Evaluated

African elephant

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~415.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	a Sand Martin flea	African elephant
Diet	—	Herbivore
Average Lifespan	—	65 years
Average Length	—	6.0 m
Average Weight	—	6.0 t

Habitat & Geographic Range

a Sand Martin flea

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

African elephant

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, and flooded grasslands and savannas, among 5 distinct biome types within the Afrotropic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Found in Kenya. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

a Sand Martin flea

A sand martin flea (Ceratophyllus styx) is a species in the genus Ceratophyllus. Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

African elephant

The largest land animal on Earth, African elephants can reach 7,000 kg and inhabit sub-Saharan savannas, forests, and wetlands. Highly intelligent with complex social structures led by matriarchs, they communicate through infrasound, rumbles, and touch. As ecosystem engineers, they shape habitats by uprooting trees, digging waterholes, and dispersing seeds. Vulnerable, with populations declining due to ivory poaching and habitat loss.