Balkan Yam vs Pacific Spiny-rat

Dioscorea balcanica compared with Proechimys decumanus

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Balkan Yam	Pacific Spiny-rat
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Liliopsida (Monocots)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Dioscoreales (Dioscoreales)	Rodentia (Rodents)
Family	Dioscoreaceae	Echimyidae
Genus	Dioscorea	Proechimys
Species	Dioscorea balcanica	Proechimys decumanus

Conservation Status

Balkan Yam

NT — Near Threatened

Pacific Spiny-rat

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Balkan Yam	Pacific Spiny-rat
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Balkan Yam

Habitat

Typically found in grasslands, wetlands, forests, and cultivated landscapes.

Pacific Spiny-rat

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

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

Balkan Yam

The Balkan Yam (Dioscorea balcanica) is a species in the genus Dioscorea. It is currently classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in grasslands, wetlands, forests, and cultivated landscapes.