Canadian beaver vs Common Glasscup

Castor canadensis compared with Orbilia xanthostigma

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Canadian beaver	Common Glasscup
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Ascomycota (Sac Fungi)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Orbiliomycetes (Orbiliomycetes)
Order	Rodentia (Rodents)	Orbiliales (Orbiliales)
Family	Castoridae (Beavers)	Orbiliaceae
Genus	Castor (Beavers)	Orbilia
Species	Castor canadensis	Orbilia xanthostigma

Conservation Status

Canadian beaver

NE — Not Evaluated

Population: ~15.0M

Trend: Stable →

Common Glasscup

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Canadian beaver	Common Glasscup
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).

Common Glasscup

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

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.

Common Glasscup

<em>Orbilia xanthostigma</em>, commonly known as the common glasscup, is a saprotrophic fungus in the family Orbiliaceae. The species has been documented in Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, and is understood to have a broader distribution across temperate Europe. Fungi in the genus <em>Orbilia</em> are characterized by their small, typically pale or brightly colored, cup-shaped to disc-shaped fruiting bodies (apothecia) that form on decaying wood and plant matter. <em>Orbilia xanthostigma</em> typically grows on the surface of dead and decaying wood, including logs and fallen branches in forest and woodland habitats. The species is not currently evaluated for conservation status. As a saprotrophic organism, the common glasscup contributes to decomposition processes and nutrient cycling in forest ecosystems by breaking down woody substrates. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature. The genus <em>Orbilia</em> is also notable within mycology for including species that are predatory on nematodes, though the dietary habits of <em>O. xanthostigma</em> specifically require further research.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 3 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden