Melissa Arctic vs Polar bear

Oeneis melissa compared with Ursus maritimus

Key Differences

• Melissa Arctic is Not Evaluated while Polar bear is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Melissa Arctic	Polar bear
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Insecta (Insects)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)	Carnivora (Carnivorans)
Family	Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)	Ursidae (Bears)
Genus	Oeneis	Ursus (Bears)
Species	Oeneis melissa	Ursus maritimus

Evolutionary Relationship

Melissa Arctic and Polar bear share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Melissa Arctic

NE — Not Evaluated

Polar bear

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~26.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Melissa Arctic	Polar bear
Diet	—	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	—	25 years
Average Length	—	2.4 m
Average Weight	—	450.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Melissa Arctic

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Found in Russia.

Polar bear

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, temperate coniferous forests, and boreal forests and taiga, among 4 distinct biome types within the Palearctic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

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

Polar bear

The largest land carnivore on Earth, polar bears can exceed 700 kg and are found across Arctic sea ice from Canada to Russia. Highly specialized marine mammals that rely on sea ice to hunt ringed and bearded seals. Excellent swimmers capable of covering vast distances in open water. Listed as Vulnerable, with populations under severe pressure from rapid Arctic sea ice loss due to climate change.