Ash Rust vs Cluster Bat

Puccinia sparganioidis compared with Myotis sodalis

Key Differences

Ash Rust is Not Evaluated while Cluster Bat is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Ash Rust	Cluster Bat
Kingdom	Fungi (Fungi)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Pucciniomycetes (Pucciniomycetes)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Pucciniales (Pucciniales)	Chiroptera (Bats)
Family	Pucciniaceae	Vespertilionidae
Genus	Puccinia	Myotis
Species	Puccinia sparganioidis	Myotis sodalis

Conservation Status

Ash Rust

NE — Not Evaluated

Cluster Bat

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Ash Rust	Cluster Bat
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Ash Rust

Habitat

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

Range

Found in United States.

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.

Ash Rust

Ash rust (Puccinia sparganioidis) is a species in the genus Puccinia. Native to North America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

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.