Canadian beaver vs Machilus oystershell

Castor canadensis compared with Lepidosaphes beckii

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Canadian beaver	Machilus oystershell
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Rodentia (Rodents)	Hemiptera (Hemiptera)
Family	Castoridae (Beavers)	Diaspididae
Genus	Castor (Beavers)	Lepidosaphes
Species	Castor canadensis	Lepidosaphes beckii

Evolutionary Relationship

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

Conservation Status

Canadian beaver

NE — Not Evaluated

Population: ~15.0M

Trend: Stable →

Machilus oystershell

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Canadian beaver	Machilus oystershell
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).

Machilus oystershell

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (4 countries), Europe (15 countries), and North America (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.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 9 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇫🇷 France 🇩🇪 Germany 🇭🇺 Hungary 🇳🇱 Netherlands 🇳🇴 Norway 🇵🇹 Portugal 🇬🇧 United Kingdom 🇺🇸 United States