coast amaranth vs Coconut Lorikeet

Amaranthus pumilus compared with Trichoglossus haematodus

Key Differences

  • coast amaranth is Extinct while Coconut Lorikeet is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank coast amaranth Coconut Lorikeet
Kingdom Plantae (Plants) Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants) Chordata (Chordates)
Class Magnoliopsida (Dicots) Aves (Birds)
Order Caryophyllales (Caryophyllales) Psittaciformes (Parrots)
Family Amaranthaceae Psittacidae (True Parrots)
Genus Amaranthus Trichoglossus
Species Amaranthus pumilus Trichoglossus haematodus

Conservation Status

coast amaranth

EX — Extinct

Coconut Lorikeet

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute coast amaranth Coconut Lorikeet
Diet
Average Lifespan
Average Length
Average Weight

Habitat & Geographic Range

coast amaranth

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Range

Found in Japan.

Coconut Lorikeet

Habitat

Typically found in various aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environments.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Norway, Singapore, Taiwan, and United Kingdom.

coast amaranth

Coast amaranth (Amaranthus pumilus) is an annual herb in the family Amaranthaceae, native to the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the eastern United States, where it once grew on coastal foredunes, beach strand, and shell-hash substrates above the high tide line from New York south to South Carolina. It is a low-growing, fleshy plant with small, rounded leaves and inconspicuous green flowers typical of the genus. Coast amaranth is assessed as Extinct in the Wild by the IUCN, as it has not been reliably documented from wild populations since the mid-20th century; the last confirmed collections date to the 1960s. The species' decline and likely extinction resulted from intense human pressure on Atlantic coastal habitats through shoreline development, beach stabilisation, vehicular traffic on beaches, and increased storm frequency disrupting pioneer dune vegetation. It is federally listed as Threatened in the United States, though this listing predates confirmed extinction in the wild. A small number of ex-situ accessions may exist in botanical garden collections. Genetic material and seed banking efforts represent the only remaining conservation options for this critically reduced species.

Coconut Lorikeet

The coconut lorikeet (Trichoglossus haematodus) is a medium-sized, vividly coloured parrot in the family Psittaculidae, native to the islands of Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and northeastern Australia. It is one of the most recognisable parrots in Australasia, featuring a scarlet breast, dark blue-purple head and belly, green upperparts, and yellow-orange barring — a striking mosaic of colour that varies across its numerous island subspecies, many of which have been elevated to full species status in recent taxonomic revisions. The coconut lorikeet inhabits forest, woodland, coconut plantations, gardens, and flowering trees across its range, feeding almost exclusively on nectar, pollen, and soft fruits using its specialised brush-tipped tongue — an adaptation unique to lories and lorikeets within the parrots. It is nomadic, following the flowering of trees such as Eucalyptus, Casuarina, and Melaleuca across its range, and is an important pollinator of many forest plants. The species has no natural presence in Norway; database records to that effect are data artifacts. In Australia and Papua New Guinea, T. haematodus (in its broad or restricted sense) is often abundant, and it has established feral populations in parts of Western Australia and elsewhere. It is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, with large, stable populations across its extensive Australasian and Pacific distribution. It is widely kept as a pet worldwide.

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