Braun'S Stonewort vs Cluster Bat

Chara braunii compared with Myotis sodalis

Key Differences

Braun'S Stonewort is Vulnerable while Cluster Bat is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Braun'S Stonewort	Cluster Bat
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Charophyta (Charophyta)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Charophyceae (Charophyceae)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Charales (Charales)	Chiroptera (Bats)
Family	Characeae	Vespertilionidae
Genus	Chara	Myotis
Species	Chara braunii	Myotis sodalis

Conservation Status

Braun'S Stonewort

VU — Vulnerable

Cluster Bat

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Braun'S Stonewort	Cluster Bat
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Braun'S Stonewort

Habitat

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

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Taiwan), Europe (Belgium, Norway, Sweden), North America (United States), and South America (Brazil). Currently classified as Vulnerable 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.

Braun'S Stonewort

The Braun'S Stonewort (Chara braunii) is a species in the genus Chara. It is currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Native to Asia and Europe and North America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

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.