African elephant vs

Loxodonta africana compared with Comatricha laxa

Key Differences

• African elephant is Vulnerable while is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	African elephant
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Protozoa (protozoa)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Mycetozoa
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Myxomycetes (Myxomycetes)
Order	Proboscidea (Elephants)	Stemonitidales
Family	Elephantidae (Elephants)	Stemonitidaceae
Genus	Loxodonta (African Elephants)	Comatricha
Species	Loxodonta africana	Comatricha laxa

Conservation Status

African elephant

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~415.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	African elephant
Diet	Herbivore	—
Average Lifespan	65 years	—
Average Length	6.0 m	—
Average Weight	6.0 t	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

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.

Habitat

Native to Asia and Europe and South America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Taiwan), Europe (4 countries), and South America (Brazil).

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.

<em>Comatricha laxa</em> is a plasmodial slime mold in the class Myxomycetes, order Stemonitidales, with a documented distribution spanning Asia, Europe, and South America. As a member of the genus <em>Comatricha</em>, it forms stalked sporangia with a characteristic capillitium that forms a loose, open network aiding spore dispersal. The species inhabits rotting logs, dead bark, and moist leaf litter in forested environments where conditions support the plasmodial feeding stage. The plasmodium is a multinucleate, macroscopic structure that migrates over substrates to engulf bacteria and other microorganisms. Geographic range data confirm a wide cosmopolitan distribution in suitable habitats across three continents. <em>C. laxa</em> contributes to decomposition and nutrient cycling in woodland ecosystems. No quantitative biological metrics such as body size or mass are applicable to this organism, and it has not been evaluated by the IUCN.