Canadian beaver vs

Castor canadensis compared with Trichia contorta

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Canadian beaver
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Protozoa (protozoa)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Mycetozoa
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Myxomycetes (Myxomycetes)
Order	Rodentia (Rodents)	Trichiales (Trichiales)
Family	Castoridae (Beavers)	Trichiaceae
Genus	Castor (Beavers)	Trichia
Species	Castor canadensis	Trichia contorta

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 North America and South America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Widely distributed across Europe (4 countries), North America (United States), and South America (Brazil).

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.

Trichia contorta is a myxomycete producing clusters of small, cylindrical to pear-shaped sporangia on decaying wood, often in early succession on freshly fallen logs. It is distinguished by its twisted elaters, which are hygroscopic coiled threads within the sporangium that assist in spore dispersal. This species is found across temperate and boreal forests of the Northern Hemisphere.