Canadian beaver vs Spotted Salamander

Castor canadensis compared with Ambystoma maculatum

Key Differences

• Canadian beaver is Not Evaluated while Spotted Salamander is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Canadian beaver	Spotted Salamander
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Amphibia (Amphibians)
Order	Rodentia (Rodents)	Caudata (Caudata)
Family	Castoridae (Beavers)	Ambystomatidae
Genus	Castor (Beavers)	Ambystoma
Species	Castor canadensis	Ambystoma maculatum

Evolutionary Relationship

Canadian beaver and Spotted Salamander share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Canadian beaver

NE — Not Evaluated

Population: ~15.0M

Trend: Stable →

Spotted Salamander

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Canadian beaver	Spotted Salamander
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).

Spotted Salamander

Habitat

Typically found in freshwater habitats, moist forests, and wetlands.

Range

Found in 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 1 countries:

🇺🇸 United States