Indischer Elefant vs Common Glasscup

Elephas maximus compared with Orbilia xanthostigma

Key Differences

• Indischer Elefant is Endangered while Common Glasscup is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Indischer Elefant	Common Glasscup
Kingdom	Animalia (Tier)	Fungi (Pilze)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordatiere)	Ascomycota (Schlauchpilze)
Class	Mammalia (Säugetiere)	Orbiliomycetes (Orbiliomycetes)
Order	Proboscidea (Rüsseltiere)	Orbiliales (Orbiliales)
Family	Elephantidae (Elephants)	Orbiliaceae
Genus	Elephas (Asian Elephants)	Orbilia
Species	Elephas maximus	Orbilia xanthostigma

Conservation Status

Indischer Elefant

EN — Endangered

Population: ~50.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Common Glasscup

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Indischer Elefant	Common Glasscup
Diet	Herbivore	—
Average Lifespan	60 years	—
Average Length	5.5 m	—
Average Weight	4.0 t	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Indischer Elefant

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 spanning the Australasia and Indomalayan and Palearctic realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Distributed across India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Common Glasscup

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

Indischer Elefant

Smaller than its African cousin, Asiatic elephants range across South and Southeast Asian forests and grasslands from India to Indonesia. Distinguished by their smaller ears, rounded back, and a single finger-like projection on the trunk tip. Deeply interwoven with Asian cultures, they have been used in religious ceremonies and as working animals for millennia. Endangered, with fewer than 50,000 remaining in the wild.

Common Glasscup

<em>Orbilia xanthostigma</em>, commonly known as the common glasscup, is a saprotrophic fungus in the family Orbiliaceae. The species has been documented in Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, and is understood to have a broader distribution across temperate Europe. Fungi in the genus <em>Orbilia</em> are characterized by their small, typically pale or brightly colored, cup-shaped to disc-shaped fruiting bodies (apothecia) that form on decaying wood and plant matter. <em>Orbilia xanthostigma</em> typically grows on the surface of dead and decaying wood, including logs and fallen branches in forest and woodland habitats. The species is not currently evaluated for conservation status. As a saprotrophic organism, the common glasscup contributes to decomposition processes and nutrient cycling in forest ecosystems by breaking down woody substrates. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature. The genus <em>Orbilia</em> is also notable within mycology for including species that are predatory on nematodes, though the dietary habits of <em>O. xanthostigma</em> specifically require further research.