Atlantic Smooth Dogfish vs Canadian beaver

Mustelus canis compared with Castor canadensis

Key Differences

• Atlantic Smooth Dogfish is Near Threatened while Canadian beaver is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Atlantic Smooth Dogfish	Canadian beaver
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Chondrichthyes (Cartilaginous Fish)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Carcharhiniformes (Ground Sharks)	Rodentia (Rodents)
Family	Triakidae	Castoridae (Beavers)
Genus	Mustelus	Castor (Beavers)
Species	Mustelus canis	Castor canadensis

Evolutionary Relationship

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

Conservation Status

Atlantic Smooth Dogfish

NT — Near Threatened

Canadian beaver

NE — Not Evaluated

Population: ~15.0M

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

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

Habitat & Geographic Range

Atlantic Smooth Dogfish

Habitat

Typically found in marine environments from coastal waters to deep ocean.

Range

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

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 Smooth Dogfish

The Atlantic Smooth Dogfish (Mustelus canis) is a species in the genus Mustelus. It is currently classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in marine environments from coastal waters to deep ocean.

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.