Common Sensitive-Plant vs Red Fox

Mimosa pudica compared with Vulpes vulpes

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common Sensitive-Plant	Red Fox
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Fabales (Legumes & Allies)	Carnivora (Carnivorans)
Family	Fabaceae	Canidae (Dogs & Wolves)
Genus	Mimosa	Vulpes (Foxes)
Species	Mimosa pudica	Vulpes vulpes

Conservation Status

Common Sensitive-Plant

LC — Least Concern

Red Fox

LC — Least Concern

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common Sensitive-Plant	Red Fox
Diet	—	Omnivore
Average Lifespan	—	5 years
Average Length	—	70 cm
Average Weight	—	6.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Common Sensitive-Plant

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, and tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, among 9 distinct biome types. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (22 countries), Asia (19 countries), Europe (Spain, Sweden), North America (5 countries), Oceania and the Pacific (13 countries), and South America (Brazil, Colombia).

Red Fox

Habitat

Typically found in a wide range of habitat types.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Cyprus, Israel), Europe (8 countries), North America (United States), Oceania and the Pacific (Australia), and South America (Argentina).

Common Sensitive-Plant

<em>Mimosa pudica</em>, the common sensitive plant, is a pantropical annual or perennial herb in the family Fabaceae, order Fabales, native to South and Central America but now naturalized across tropical Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania, and South America. This species is best known for its rapid thigmonastic leaf movements — leaflets and petioles fold inward and droop within seconds of being touched or disturbed, a response thought to deter herbivores and reduce water loss. <em>Mimosa pudica</em> typically grows as a sprawling, prickly herb in disturbed habitats including roadsides, pastures, and degraded lands, and produces small pink to purple spherical flower heads. The seeds are dispersed via various vectors and germinate readily, contributing to its success as an invasive species in many regions outside its native range. The species is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, reflecting its wide distribution and high adaptability. Biological traits for this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature in terms of standardized averages for lifespan, plant height, and weight, though its growth habit and ecological behavior as a pioneer and potential invasive are well characterized.

Red Fox

The most widespread wild carnivore on Earth, red foxes have colonized habitats from Arctic tundra to urban environments across the Northern Hemisphere and introduced ranges in Australia. Recognized by their russet coat, white belly, and bushy tail. Highly adaptable omnivores, red foxes eat everything from rabbits and voles to fruit and human refuse. They communicate with over 40 distinct vocalizations.