African elephant vs

Loxodonta africana compared with Comatricha suksdorfii

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 suksdorfii

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

Range

Distributed across Brazil, Norway, and Sweden.

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 suksdorfii</em> is a plasmodial slime mold in the order Stemonitidales, class Myxomycetes, named in honor of botanist Wilhelm Nikolaus Suksdorf. As a member of the genus <em>Comatricha</em>, it is characterized by stalked, cylindrical or ovoid sporangia supported by a persistent stalk, with an internal capillitium assisting in spore dispersal. The species inhabits decomposing woody substrates and moist forest litter, where the vegetative plasmodium feeds on bacteria and other microorganisms. Environmental or nutritional cues trigger aggregation and differentiation into fruiting bodies, from which spores are released into the air. <em>C. suksdorfii</em> participates in nutrient cycling and decomposition processes in its woodland habitat. No specific geographic range data are recorded in the current record, and no quantitative biological traits are applicable to this organism. The species has not been evaluated by the IUCN.