Black Lichen vs Cheetah

Lichina pygmaea compared with Acinonyx jubatus

Key Differences

Black Lichen is Extinct while Cheetah is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Black Lichen	Cheetah
Kingdom	Fungi (Fungi)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Ascomycota (Sac Fungi)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Lichinomycetes (Lichinomycetes)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Lichinales (Lichinales)	Carnivora (Carnivorans)
Family	Lichinaceae	Felidae (Cats)
Genus	Lichina	Acinonyx (Cheetahs)
Species	Lichina pygmaea	Acinonyx jubatus

Conservation Status

Black Lichen

EX — Extinct

Cheetah

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~6.7K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Black Lichen	Cheetah
Diet	—	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	—	12 years
Average Length	—	1.5 m
Average Weight	—	50.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Black Lichen

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Norway, Portugal, and Sweden.

Cheetah

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, and flooded grasslands and savannas, among 9 distinct biome types spanning the Afrotropic and Palearctic realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Distributed across Botswana, Iran, Kenya, Namibia, and Tanzania. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Black Lichen

The Black Lichen (Lichina pygmaea) is a species in the genus Lichina. It is currently classified as Extinct on the IUCN Red List. Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region. Its geographic range spans Distributed across Denmark, Norway, Portugal, and Sweden.

Cheetah

The fastest land animal on Earth, reaching speeds of 112 km/h over short distances across African and Iranian grasslands. Slender build with a deep chest, long legs, and distinctive black tear-stripe markings. Unlike other big cats, cheetahs vocalize with chirps and purrs. Vulnerable, with only ~7,000 remaining due to habitat fragmentation and competition with larger predators.