Arctic barrel-bubble vs Canadian beaver

Retusa obtusa compared with Castor canadensis

Key Differences

• Arctic barrel-bubble is Least Concern while Canadian beaver is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Arctic barrel-bubble	Canadian beaver
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Mollusca (Mollusks)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Gastropoda (Gastropoda)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Cephalaspidea (Cephalaspidea)	Rodentia (Rodents)
Family	Retusidae	Castoridae (Beavers)
Genus	Retusa	Castor (Beavers)
Species	Retusa obtusa	Castor canadensis

Evolutionary Relationship

Arctic barrel-bubble and Canadian beaver share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Arctic barrel-bubble

LC — Least Concern

Canadian beaver

NE — Not Evaluated

Population: ~15.0M

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Arctic barrel-bubble	Canadian beaver
Diet	—	Herbivore
Average Lifespan	—	15 years
Average Length	—	1.0 m
Average Weight	—	25.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Arctic barrel-bubble

Habitat

Typically found in terrestrial and aquatic habitats including forests and freshwater.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

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).

Arctic barrel-bubble

The Arctic barrel-bubble (Retusa obtusa) is a species in the genus Retusa. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in terrestrial and aquatic habitats including forests and freshwater.

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.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 3 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden