Andersson's arctic moss vs Common Coontail

Arctoa anderssonii compared with Ceratophyllum demersum

Key Differences

• Andersson's arctic moss is Endangered while Common Coontail is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Andersson's arctic moss	Common Coontail
Kingdom same	Plantae (Plants)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum	Bryophyta	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class	Bryopsida (Bryopsida)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order	Dicranales (Dicranales)	Ceratophyllales (Ceratophyllales)
Family	Rhabdoweisiaceae	Ceratophyllaceae
Genus	Arctoa	Ceratophyllum
Species	Arctoa anderssonii	Ceratophyllum demersum

Evolutionary Relationship

Andersson's arctic moss and Common Coontail share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Plantae. (Plants)

Conservation Status

Andersson's arctic moss

EN — Endangered

Common Coontail

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Andersson's arctic moss	Common Coontail
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Andersson's arctic moss

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Norway and Sweden. Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Common Coontail

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, flooded grasslands and savannas, and deserts and xeric shrublands, among 9 distinct biome types. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (4 countries), Asia (6 countries), Europe (8 countries), North America (4 countries), Oceania and the Pacific (4 countries), and South America (Brazil, Colombia).

Andersson's arctic moss

The Andersson's arctic moss (Arctoa anderssonii) is a species in the genus Arctoa. It is currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Common Coontail

<em>Ceratophyllum demersum</em>, commonly known as common coontail or hornwort, is a submerged aquatic plant in the family Ceratophyllaceae. It has an almost cosmopolitan distribution, occurring on every continent except Antarctica in freshwater lakes, ponds, slow-moving rivers, and ditches. Common coontail is rootless, floating freely or loosely anchored in sediment, and forms dense underwater mats that provide important habitat and refuge for fish, invertebrates, and waterfowl. Its whorled, forked leaves are stiff and brittle with toothed margins. The species is well adapted to a wide range of water conditions and can tolerate turbid, nutrient-rich waters where other aquatic plants may struggle. It plays a significant role in aquatic ecosystems by oxygenating water and filtering excess nutrients. The species is assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 2 countries:

🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden