Ascidian vs Cluster Bat

Styela clava compared with Myotis sodalis

Key Differences

• Ascidian is Not Evaluated while Cluster Bat is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Ascidian	Cluster Bat
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Ascidiacea (Ascidiacea)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Stolidobranchia (Stolidobranchia)	Chiroptera (Bats)
Family	Styelidae	Vespertilionidae
Genus	Styela	Myotis
Species	Styela clava	Myotis sodalis

Evolutionary Relationship

Ascidian and Cluster Bat share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Ascidian

NE — Not Evaluated

Cluster Bat

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Ascidian	Cluster Bat
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Ascidian

Habitat

Native to Europe and North America and Oceania, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Widely distributed across Europe (12 countries), North America (Canada, Mexico, United States), Oceania and the Pacific (Australia, New Zealand), and South America (Argentina, Brazil).

Cluster Bat

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Found in United States. Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Ascidian

Ascidian (Styela clava) is a species in the genus Styela. Native to Europe and North America and Oceania, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Cluster Bat

Myotis sodalis, the Indiana bat or cluster bat, is a medium-sized insectivorous bat in the family Vespertilionidae endemic to the eastern United States. It is one of the most endangered bats in North America, listed as Endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act and classified as Near Threatened by the IUCN. The species is named for its behavior of clustering in extremely dense hibernation groups—sometimes thousands of bats per square meter—in specific limestone caves and mines during winter. These few critical hibernacula make the species extremely vulnerable to disturbance and disease. Since 2007, Indiana bats have suffered severe mortality from white-nose syndrome, a fungal disease caused by Pseudogymnoascus destructans that disrupts hibernation and causes mass starvation. During summer, Indiana bats roost under loose bark of dead trees and forage for insects over forested landscapes and riparian areas. Foraging individuals consume moths, beetles, and flying insects. Conservation efforts include cave gate protection, white-nose syndrome research, and summer habitat management on public and private lands across the eastern US.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 1 countries:

🇺🇸 United States