Canadian beaver vs

Castor canadensis compared with Protoperidinium claudicans

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Canadian beaver
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Chromista (Chromista)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Myzozoa (Myzozoa)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Dinophyceae (Dinophyceae)
Order	Rodentia (Rodents)	Peridiniales (Peridiniales)
Family	Castoridae (Beavers)	Protoperidiniaceae
Genus	Castor (Beavers)	Protoperidinium
Species	Castor canadensis	Protoperidinium claudicans

Conservation Status

Canadian beaver

NE — Not Evaluated

Population: ~15.0M

Trend: Stable →

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Canadian beaver
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).

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Brazil, 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.

Protoperidinium claudicans is a heterotrophic marine dinoflagellate with a distinctive armored cell body and elongated antapical spines. It inhabits coastal and oceanic waters in temperate to tropical seas worldwide. This predatory protist feeds on diatoms and other phytoplankton using a pallium feeding mechanism.