Mallard vs Pacific Spiny-rat

Anas platyrhynchos compared with Proechimys decumanus

Key Differences

• Mallard is Least Concern while Pacific Spiny-rat is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Mallard	Pacific Spiny-rat
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Aves (Birds)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Anseriformes (Anseriformes)	Rodentia (Rodents)
Family	Anatidae	Echimyidae
Genus	Anas	Proechimys
Species	Anas platyrhynchos	Proechimys decumanus

Evolutionary Relationship

Mallard and Pacific Spiny-rat share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Mallard

LC — Least Concern

Pacific Spiny-rat

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Mallard	Pacific Spiny-rat
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Mallard

Habitat

Inhabits tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests and deserts and xeric shrublands spanning the Afrotropic and Indomalayan realms.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (5 countries), Asia (Bhutan, Nepal), Europe (7 countries), North America (Barbados, El Salvador, United States), Oceania and the Pacific (Australia, New Zealand), and South America (4 countries).

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.

Mallard

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List. Widespread and abundant across its range, with stable populations and no immediate conservation concerns.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 1 countries:

🇪🇨 Ecuador