Bent-grass nematode vs Coastal Ragweed

Anguina agrostis compared with Ambrosia hispida

Key Differences

Bent-grass nematode is Not Evaluated while Coastal Ragweed is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Bent-grass nematode	Coastal Ragweed
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum	Nematoda (Roundworms)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class	Chromadorea (Chromadorea)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order	Rhabditida (Rhabditida)	Asterales (Daisies & Sunflowers)
Family	Anguinidae	Asteraceae (Daisy Family)
Genus	Anguina	Ambrosia
Species	Anguina agrostis	Ambrosia hispida

Conservation Status

Bent-grass nematode

NE — Not Evaluated

Coastal Ragweed

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Bent-grass nematode	Coastal Ragweed
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Bent-grass nematode

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across China, Denmark, and United States.

Coastal Ragweed

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Range

Found in Cuba.

Bent-grass nematode

The Bent-grass nematode (Anguina agrostis) is a species in the genus Anguina. Native to Asia and Europe and North America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Coastal ragweed (Ambrosia hispida) is a perennial herb in the family Asteraceae, native to the coastal dunes, sandy beaches, and cays of Cuba, the Bahamas, and the wider Caribbean region. It grows in pioneer beach and dune vegetation, often forming spreading colonies that help stabilise loose coastal sands. Like other members of the genus Ambrosia, it bears inconspicuous greenish-white flowers arranged in racemes; male flower heads produce wind-dispersed pollen that can trigger allergic rhinitis in sensitive individuals. The deeply lobed, hispid leaves are adapted to reflect intense solar radiation and tolerate salt spray. Coastal ragweed plays an ecological role in early dune succession, binding sand and enabling other plant species to establish. The genus is widespread globally, with several Ambrosia species considered noxious weeds in agricultural settings, though Ambrosia hispida is restricted to its native Caribbean coastal range. The IUCN assesses it as Least Concern, reflecting adequate population size across its Caribbean coastal distribution. Pressure from coastal development and tourism infrastructure poses a localised threat to dune communities it inhabits.