Canadian beaver vs Chalky Macoma

Castor canadensis compared with Macoma calcarea

Key Differences

• Canadian beaver is Not Evaluated while Chalky Macoma is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Canadian beaver	Chalky Macoma
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Mollusca (Mollusks)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Bivalvia (Bivalvia)
Order	Rodentia (Rodents)	Cardiida (Cardiida)
Family	Castoridae (Beavers)	Tellinidae
Genus	Castor (Beavers)	Macoma
Species	Castor canadensis	Macoma calcarea

Evolutionary Relationship

Canadian beaver and Chalky Macoma share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Canadian beaver

NE — Not Evaluated

Population: ~15.0M

Trend: Stable →

Chalky Macoma

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

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

Habitat & Geographic Range

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).

Chalky Macoma

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and United States.

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.

Chalky Macoma

The Chalky Macoma (Macoma calcarea) is a species in the genus Macoma. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Native to Europe and North America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 4 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇺🇸 United States