coast amaranth vs Comb-footed spider

Amaranthus pumilus compared with Parasteatoda tabulata

Key Differences

• coast amaranth is Extinct while Comb-footed spider is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	coast amaranth	Comb-footed spider
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Arachnida (Arachnids)
Order	Caryophyllales (Caryophyllales)	Araneae (Araneae)
Family	Amaranthaceae	Theridiidae
Genus	Amaranthus	Parasteatoda
Species	Amaranthus pumilus	Parasteatoda tabulata

Conservation Status

coast amaranth

EX — Extinct

Comb-footed spider

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	coast amaranth	Comb-footed spider
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.

Comb-footed spider

Habitat

Typically found in terrestrial habitats from forests to deserts.

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Germany, Sweden, and United States.

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.

Comb-footed spider

<em>Parasteatoda tabulata</em> is an arachnid in the family Theridiidae, commonly grouped with comb-footed spiders. It has been recorded from Europe and the United States, indicating a broad distribution across temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Like other members of the family Theridiidae, <em>P. tabulata</em> constructs irregular, tangled cobwebs in sheltered locations such as corners of buildings, under eaves, rock crevices, and dense vegetation. The species uses its characteristically comb-like hind tarsal setae to manipulate silk and wrap prey. It is a generalist predator of small insects and other arthropods that become ensnared in its web. Members of this family are small spiders, generally spending their adult lives in close association with their webs. The species has not been formally assessed by the IUCN, and specific quantitative biological trait data are not available in the current record.