vs koala

Coelosphaerium confertum compared with Phascolarctos cinereus

Key Differences

is Not Evaluated while koala is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank		koala
Kingdom	Bacteria (Bacteria)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Cyanobacteria (Cyanobacteria)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Cyanobacteriia	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Cyanobacteriales	Diprotodontia (Marsupials)
Family	Microcystaceae	Phascolarctidae (Koalas)
Genus	Coelosphaerium	Phascolarctos (Koalas)
Species	Coelosphaerium confertum	Phascolarctos cinereus

Conservation Status

NE — Not Evaluated

koala

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~100.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute		koala
Diet	—	Herbivore
Average Lifespan	—	15 years
Average Length	—	75 cm
Average Weight	—	10.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Found in Denmark.

koala

Habitat

Typically found in grasslands, forests, and vegetated habitats.

Range

Found in Australia. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Coelosphaerium confertum is a colonial planktonic cyanobacterium in the family Merismopediaceae, distinguished from related species by the relatively compact arrangement of cells within its gelatinous colonial matrix. Like other Coelosphaerium species, it forms roughly spherical mucilaginous colonies in which cells are positioned near the colony periphery. The genus belongs to the order Chroococcales and is characteristic of temperate freshwater habitats including lakes, ponds, and slow-moving rivers with moderate to high nutrient levels. Coelosphaerium confertum has been recorded from freshwater bodies in Denmark and other northern European countries, where it occurs as part of the phytoplankton assemblage during summer and early autumn months when temperatures are sufficient to sustain its growth. Cyanobacteria of this type are primary producers that fix atmospheric carbon and contribute to the base of aquatic food webs, supporting zooplankton and higher trophic levels. Under conditions of elevated phosphorus and nitrogen from agricultural runoff and wastewater, bloom-forming cyanobacteria can proliferate and alter the ecological character of water bodies. While Coelosphaerium confertum is not typically identified as a toxic bloom-former, its ecological role in nutrient cycling and as part of broader cyanobacterial assemblages is significant. No formal IUCN evaluation has been conducted.

koala

Iconic marsupial of eastern and southeastern Australia, koalas weigh up to 15 kg and spend up to 22 hours daily sleeping to conserve energy from their low-calorie eucalyptus leaf diet. Highly specialized to process toxic eucalyptus compounds that would kill most other mammals, they have gut microbiomes uniquely adapted for detoxification. Listed as Endangered in 2022, with populations decimated by chlamydia disease, habitat clearing, and climate change.