Atlantic chimaera vs Canadian beaver

Hydrolagus affinis compared with Castor canadensis

Key Differences

• Atlantic chimaera is Least Concern while Canadian beaver is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Atlantic chimaera	Canadian beaver
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Holocephali (Holocephali)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Chimaeriformes (Chimaeriformes)	Rodentia (Rodents)
Family	Chimaeridae	Castoridae (Beavers)
Genus	Hydrolagus	Castor (Beavers)
Species	Hydrolagus affinis	Castor canadensis

Evolutionary Relationship

Atlantic chimaera and Canadian beaver share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Atlantic chimaera

LC — Least Concern

Canadian beaver

NE — Not Evaluated

Population: ~15.0M

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Atlantic chimaera	Canadian beaver
Diet	—	Herbivore
Average Lifespan	—	15 years
Average Length	—	1.0 m
Average Weight	—	25.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Atlantic chimaera

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Chile and Portugal.

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).

Atlantic chimaera

The Atlantic chimaera (Hydrolagus affinis) is a species in the genus Hydrolagus. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Native to Europe and South America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

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 2 countries:

🇨🇱 Chile 🇵🇹 Portugal