limestone fern vs Pacific Spiny-rat

Gymnocarpium robertianum compared with Proechimys decumanus

Key Differences

• limestone fern is Critically Endangered while Pacific Spiny-rat is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	limestone fern	Pacific Spiny-rat
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Tracheophyta	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Polypodiopsida (Polypodiopsida)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Polypodiales (Polypodiales)	Rodentia (Rodents)
Family	Cystopteridaceae	Echimyidae
Genus	Gymnocarpium	Proechimys
Species	Gymnocarpium robertianum	Proechimys decumanus

Conservation Status

limestone fern

CR — Critically Endangered

Pacific Spiny-rat

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	limestone fern	Pacific Spiny-rat
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

limestone fern

Habitat

Typically found in moist, shaded forest floors and tropical canopies.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Canada, Norway, and Sweden. Currently classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Pacific Spiny-rat

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Found in Ecuador. Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.