Asiatic elephant vs
Elephas maximus compared with Sphingobium lactosutens
Key Differences
- Asiatic elephant is Endangered while is Not Evaluated.
Taxonomic Classification
| Rank | Asiatic elephant | |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Animalia (Animals) | Bacteria (Bacteria) |
| Phylum | Chordata (Chordates) | Proteobacteria (Proteobacteria) |
| Class | Mammalia (Mammals) | Alphaproteobacteria (Alphaproteobacteria) |
| Order | Proboscidea (Elephants) | Sphingomonadales (Sphingomonadales) |
| Family | Elephantidae (Elephants) | Sphingomonadaceae |
| Genus | Elephas (Asian Elephants) | Sphingobium |
| Species | Elephas maximus | Sphingobium lactosutens |
Conservation Status
Asiatic elephant
EN — EndangeredPopulation: ~50.0K
Trend: Decreasing ↓
Physical Characteristics
| Attribute | Asiatic elephant | |
|---|---|---|
| Diet | Herbivore | — |
| Average Lifespan | 60 years | — |
| Average Length | 5.5 m | — |
| Average Weight | 4.0 t | — |
Habitat & Geographic Range
Asiatic elephant
Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, and tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, among 9 distinct biome types spanning the Australasia and Indomalayan and Palearctic realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.
Distributed across India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.
Native to Asia, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.
Found in Taiwan.
Asiatic elephant
Smaller than its African cousin, Asiatic elephants range across South and Southeast Asian forests and grasslands from India to Indonesia. Distinguished by their smaller ears, rounded back, and a single finger-like projection on the trunk tip. Deeply interwoven with Asian cultures, they have been used in religious ceremonies and as working animals for millennia. Endangered, with fewer than 50,000 remaining in the wild.
Sphingobium lactosutens is a Gram-negative bacterium capable of utilizing lactose and related sugars as carbon sources. It has been isolated from diverse soil and plant-associated environments. This aerobic chemoheterotroph degrades carbohydrates including sugars derived from plant cell wall materials in its terrestrial habitat.
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