Bisam, Bisamratte vs Kleine Wasserlinse

Ondatra zibethicus compared with Lemna minor

Key Differences

• Bisam, Bisamratte is Not Evaluated while Kleine Wasserlinse is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Bisam, Bisamratte	Kleine Wasserlinse
Kingdom	Animalia (Tier)	Plantae (Pflanzen)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordatiere)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class	Mammalia (Säugetiere)	Liliopsida (Monocots)
Order	Rodentia (Nagetiere)	Alismatales (Froschlöffelartige)
Family	Cricetidae	Araceae
Genus	Ondatra	Lemna
Species	Ondatra zibethicus	Lemna minor

Conservation Status

Bisam, Bisamratte

NE — Not Evaluated

Kleine Wasserlinse

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Bisam, Bisamratte	Kleine Wasserlinse
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Bisam, Bisamratte

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (8 countries), Europe (37 countries), North America (United States), and South America (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile).

Kleine Wasserlinse

Habitat

Typically found in grasslands, wetlands, forests, and cultivated landscapes.

Range

Widely distributed across Europe (8 countries), North America (Canada, United States), Oceania and the Pacific (Australia), and South America (Brazil, Guyana).

Bisam, Bisamratte

The Bisamratte (Ondatra zibethicus) is a species in the genus Ondatra. Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Kleine Wasserlinse

<em>Lemna minor</em>, commonly known as common duckweed, is a tiny floating aquatic plant in the family Araceae, recognized as one of the smallest flowering plants on Earth. Classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, the species enjoys a broad distribution across Europe, North America, Oceania, and South America, colonizing a diverse array of habitats including grasslands, wetlands, forests, and cultivated land with access to standing or slow-moving water. It typically inhabits ponds, lakes, ditches, and quiet streams, forming extensive green mats on the water surface. <em>Lemna minor</em> reproduces predominantly through asexual budding, allowing populations to expand rapidly under favorable conditions. The species provides vital ecosystem services, stabilizing nutrient cycles, reducing algal blooms through competition, and offering food and shelter for aquatic invertebrates, fish, and waterfowl. Due to its sensitivity to water quality, it is frequently used as a bioindicator in ecotoxicological research. Common duckweed has also attracted scientific interest for its potential in wastewater treatment and as a high-protein animal feed supplement. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 8 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇫🇮 Finland 🇫🇷 France 🇳🇴 Norway 🇵🇹 Portugal 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇺🇸 United States