African ray vs Canadian beaver

Urogymnus asperrimus compared with Castor canadensis

Key Differences

• African ray is Vulnerable while Canadian beaver is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	African ray	Canadian beaver
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Elasmobranchii	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Myliobatiformes (Myliobatiformes)	Rodentia (Rodents)
Family	Dasyatidae	Castoridae (Beavers)
Genus	Urogymnus	Castor (Beavers)
Species	Urogymnus asperrimus	Castor canadensis

Evolutionary Relationship

African ray and Canadian beaver share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

African ray

VU — Vulnerable

Canadian beaver

NE — Not Evaluated

Population: ~15.0M

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	African ray	Canadian beaver
Diet	—	Herbivore
Average Lifespan	—	15 years
Average Length	—	1.0 m
Average Weight	—	25.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

African ray

Habitat

Native to Asia, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

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

Canadian beaver

Habitat

Typically found in grasslands, forests, and vegetated habitats.

Range

Widely distributed across Europe (15 countries), North America (United States), and South America (Argentina, Chile).

African ray

The African ray (Urogymnus asperrimus) is a species in the genus Urogymnus. It is currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Native to Asia, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Canadian beaver

The largest rodent in North America, Canadian beavers weigh up to 32 kg and are master ecosystem engineers inhabiting rivers, lakes, and wetlands across Canada and the northern United States. By felling trees and constructing dams up to hundreds of meters long, beavers create ponds that provide habitat for hundreds of species. Their lodges and canals transform entire watersheds. Once nearly hunted to extinction for their fur, beaver populations have recovered strongly.