Canadian beaver vs Comb-footed spider

Castor canadensis compared with Parasteatoda tabulata

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Canadian beaver	Comb-footed spider
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Arachnida (Arachnids)
Order	Rodentia (Rodents)	Araneae (Araneae)
Family	Castoridae (Beavers)	Theridiidae
Genus	Castor (Beavers)	Parasteatoda
Species	Castor canadensis	Parasteatoda tabulata

Evolutionary Relationship

Canadian beaver and Comb-footed spider share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Canadian beaver

NE — Not Evaluated

Population: ~15.0M

Trend: Stable →

Comb-footed spider

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Canadian beaver	Comb-footed spider
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).

Comb-footed spider

Habitat

Typically found in terrestrial habitats from forests to deserts.

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Germany, 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.

Comb-footed spider

<em>Parasteatoda tabulata</em> is an arachnid in the family Theridiidae, commonly grouped with comb-footed spiders. It has been recorded from Europe and the United States, indicating a broad distribution across temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Like other members of the family Theridiidae, <em>P. tabulata</em> constructs irregular, tangled cobwebs in sheltered locations such as corners of buildings, under eaves, rock crevices, and dense vegetation. The species uses its characteristically comb-like hind tarsal setae to manipulate silk and wrap prey. It is a generalist predator of small insects and other arthropods that become ensnared in its web. Members of this family are small spiders, generally spending their adult lives in close association with their webs. The species has not been formally assessed by the IUCN, and specific quantitative biological trait data are not available in the current record.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 3 countries:

🇩🇪 Germany 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇺🇸 United States