vs Canadian beaver

Calothrix parasitica compared with Castor canadensis

Taxonomic Classification

Rank		Canadian beaver
Kingdom	Bacteria (Bacteria)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Cyanobacteria (Cyanobacteria)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Cyanobacteriia	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Cyanobacteriales	Rodentia (Rodents)
Family	Nostocaceae	Castoridae (Beavers)
Genus	Calothrix	Castor (Beavers)
Species	Calothrix parasitica	Castor canadensis

Conservation Status

NE — Not Evaluated

Canadian beaver

NE — Not Evaluated

Population: ~15.0M

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

Attribute		Canadian beaver
Diet	—	Herbivore
Average Lifespan	—	15 years
Average Length	—	1.0 m
Average Weight	—	25.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Found in Sweden.

Canadian beaver

Habitat

Typically found in grasslands, forests, and vegetated habitats.

Range

Widely distributed across Europe (15 countries), North America (United States), and South America (Argentina, Chile).

Calothrix parasitica is a heterocystous cyanobacterium in the family Rivulariaceae, characterized by tapering filaments with a basal heterocyst for nitrogen fixation. It grows epiphytically on other algae, macrophytes, or in biofilms on rocky substrates in freshwater and marine environments. The genus Calothrix is widespread in aquatic and terrestrial habitats where it plays a role in nitrogen input to ecosystems.

Canadian beaver

The largest rodent in North America, Canadian beavers weigh up to 32 kg and are master ecosystem engineers inhabiting rivers, lakes, and wetlands across Canada and the northern United States. By felling trees and constructing dams up to hundreds of meters long, beavers create ponds that provide habitat for hundreds of species. Their lodges and canals transform entire watersheds. Once nearly hunted to extinction for their fur, beaver populations have recovered strongly.