Chungan Sucker Frog vs Common Ground-Pine

Amolops chunganensis compared with Dendrolycopodium obscurum

Key Differences

• Chungan Sucker Frog is Least Concern while Common Ground-Pine is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Chungan Sucker Frog	Common Ground-Pine
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Tracheophyta
Class	Amphibia (Amphibians)	Lycopodiopsida (Lycopodiopsida)
Order	Anura (Frogs & Toads)	Lycopodiales (Lycopodiales)
Family	Ranidae	Lycopodiaceae
Genus	Amolops	Dendrolycopodium
Species	Amolops chunganensis	Dendrolycopodium obscurum

Conservation Status

Chungan Sucker Frog

LC — Least Concern

Common Ground-Pine

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Chungan Sucker Frog	Common Ground-Pine
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Chungan Sucker Frog

Habitat

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

Common Ground-Pine

Habitat

Native to North America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Canada and United States.

Chungan Sucker Frog

The Chungan Sucker Frog (Amolops chunganensis) is a Least Concern torrent frog in the family Ranidae, endemic to central China, particularly associated with the mountains of Chongqing (formerly Chungan County, from which the species name derives) and surrounding areas. The genus Amolops, commonly known as torrent frogs or cascade frogs, is adapted for life in and around fast-flowing mountain streams, with expanded toe pads and sucker-like discs that allow clinging to wet, smooth rock surfaces in high-velocity water. Breeding occurs in stream environments, where males call from boulders at the stream edge and larvae develop in oxygenated torrent pools with specialized mouthparts for adhering to rock substrates. A. chunganensis inhabits subtropical and montane forests at elevations ranging from low to mid altitudes in Sichuan and Chongqing. The IUCN assesses this species as Least Concern, reflecting a relatively wide distribution within suitable stream habitats across central China. However, it faces ongoing pressure from water quality degradation, dam construction and stream modification, deforestation, and pollution from agricultural and urban runoff. Amolops frogs are sensitive to siltation and chemical contamination of breeding streams.

Common Ground-Pine

The common ground pine, <em>Dendrolycopodium obscurum</em>, is a vascular plant belonging to the family Lycopodiaceae, a lineage of ancient clubmosses. This species is typically found across North America, with its known range encompassing Canada and the United States. As a lycophyte, <em>Dendrolycopodium obscurum</em> represents a deeply divergent lineage among land plants, distinct from mosses and ferns. The species typically grows in moist forested habitats, particularly in coniferous and mixed woodlands where humidity and leaf litter provide suitable conditions for its growth. Its upright, tree-like sporophylls give it the common name ground pine. No dietary information has been provided for this species. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.