Blunt-leaved Earwort vs Cluster Bat

Diplophyllum obtusifolium compared with Myotis sodalis

Key Differences

• Blunt-leaved Earwort is Critically Endangered while Cluster Bat is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Blunt-leaved Earwort	Cluster Bat
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Marchantiophyta (liverwort)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Jungermanniopsida (Jungermanniopsida)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Jungermanniales (Jungermanniales)	Chiroptera (Bats)
Family	Scapaniaceae	Vespertilionidae
Genus	Diplophyllum	Myotis
Species	Diplophyllum obtusifolium	Myotis sodalis

Conservation Status

Blunt-leaved Earwort

CR — Critically Endangered

Cluster Bat

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Blunt-leaved Earwort	Cluster Bat
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Blunt-leaved Earwort

Habitat

Inhabits tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests and temperate broadleaf and mixed forests spanning the Indomalayan and Palearctic realms.

Range

Found across Asia (Taiwan) and Europe (5 countries). Currently classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Cluster Bat

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

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

Blunt-leaved Earwort

The Blunt-leaved Earwort (Diplophyllum obtusifolium) is a species in the genus Diplophyllum. It is currently classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Inhabits tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests and temperate broadleaf and mixed forests spanning the Indomalayan and Palearctic realms.

Cluster Bat

Myotis sodalis, the Indiana bat or cluster bat, is a medium-sized insectivorous bat in the family Vespertilionidae endemic to the eastern United States. It is one of the most endangered bats in North America, listed as Endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act and classified as Near Threatened by the IUCN. The species is named for its behavior of clustering in extremely dense hibernation groups—sometimes thousands of bats per square meter—in specific limestone caves and mines during winter. These few critical hibernacula make the species extremely vulnerable to disturbance and disease. Since 2007, Indiana bats have suffered severe mortality from white-nose syndrome, a fungal disease caused by Pseudogymnoascus destructans that disrupts hibernation and causes mass starvation. During summer, Indiana bats roost under loose bark of dead trees and forage for insects over forested landscapes and riparian areas. Foraging individuals consume moths, beetles, and flying insects. Conservation efforts include cave gate protection, white-nose syndrome research, and summer habitat management on public and private lands across the eastern US.