Cat vs ciliate oak scale

Felis catus compared with Eulecanium ciliatum

Taxonomic Classification

Rank Cat ciliate oak scale
Kingdom same Animalia (Animals) Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Chordata (Chordates) Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class Mammalia (Mammals) Insecta (Insects)
Order Carnivora (Carnivorans) Hemiptera (Hemiptera)
Family Felidae (Cats) Coccidae
Genus Felis (Small Cats) Eulecanium
Species Felis catus Eulecanium ciliatum

Evolutionary Relationship

Cat and ciliate oak scale share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Cat

NE — Not Evaluated

Trend: Stable →

ciliate oak scale

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute Cat ciliate oak scale
Diet Carnivore
Average Lifespan 15 years
Average Length 46 cm
Average Weight 4.5 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Cat

Habitat

Inhabits deserts and xeric shrublands within the Afrotropic biogeographic realm.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (9 countries), Asia (7 countries), Europe (11 countries), North America (13 countries), Oceania and the Pacific (11 countries), and South America (6 countries).

ciliate oak scale

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Norway and Sweden.

Cat

One of humanity's most successful domesticated companions, domestic cats are small, agile carnivores originating from the Near Eastern wildcat (Felis silvestris lybica) domesticated approximately 10,000 years ago. With over 70 recognized breeds, cats retain strong predatory instincts and have colonized virtually every terrestrial environment on Earth. They are the world's most popular pet, with an estimated 600 million kept worldwide.

ciliate oak scale

Ciliate oak scale (Eulecanium ciliatum) is a soft scale insect in the family Coccidae, found in Europe. Like other soft scales, the adult female forms a protective waxy or leathery scale cover under which she lays eggs and overwinters. Eulecanium ciliatum is associated with oak (Quercus) as its primary host, though it may also occur on other deciduous trees. The species feeds by piercing plant tissue and extracting phloem sap, and heavy infestations can weaken host branches; however, it is generally not considered a major economic pest. The name ciliatum refers to fringed or ciliate margins of the scale cover or body. Scale insects of the family Coccidae are widespread in temperate and subtropical regions, and many European species are incompletely documented in terms of distribution and population status. Eulecanium ciliatum has not been formally assessed by the IUCN. Natural enemies including parasitoid wasps, predatory beetles, and lacewings help regulate scale insect populations in forest ecosystems. The taxonomy of European Eulecanium has been subject to revision, and several historical records may require reassessment given updated species concepts. Oak forests across Europe support a rich community of specialist scale insects, many of which provide food for insectivorous birds during the nesting season. Conservation of mature oak woodland benefits the entire community of oak-associated invertebrates.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 2 countries:

Nature FYI Family

Explore more of the natural world across our sister sites.

Part of the Nature FYI family — FYIPedia