Gemeiner Regenwurm vs Westlicher Gorilla

Lumbricus terrestris compared with Gorilla gorilla

Key Differences

• Gemeiner Regenwurm is Not Evaluated while Westlicher Gorilla is Critically Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Gemeiner Regenwurm	Westlicher Gorilla
Kingdom same	Animalia (Tier)	Animalia (Tier)
Phylum	Annelida (Ringelwürmer)	Chordata (Chordatiere)
Class	Clitellata (Gürtelwürmer)	Mammalia (Säugetiere)
Order	Crassiclitellata (Crassiclitellata)	Primates (Primaten)
Family	Lumbricidae	Hominidae (Great Apes)
Genus	Lumbricus	Gorilla (Gorillas)
Species	Lumbricus terrestris	Gorilla gorilla

Evolutionary Relationship

Gemeiner Regenwurm and Westlicher Gorilla share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Tier)

Conservation Status

Gemeiner Regenwurm

NE — Not Evaluated

Westlicher Gorilla

CR — Critically Endangered

Population: ~100.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Gemeiner Regenwurm	Westlicher Gorilla
Diet	—	Herbivore
Average Lifespan	—	40 years
Average Length	—	1.7 m
Average Weight	—	160.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Gemeiner Regenwurm

Habitat

Native to Europe and North America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Found across Europe (6 countries) and North America (United States).

Westlicher Gorilla

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, and flooded grasslands and savannas, among 4 distinct biome types within the Afrotropic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Distributed across Cameroon, Congo (Republic), Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon. Currently classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Gemeiner Regenwurm

<em>Lumbricus terrestris</em>, the common earthworm, is one of the most ecologically significant invertebrates in temperate soils and is native to Europe, with introduced populations established across North America and other regions globally. The species is not evaluated by the IUCN Red List. <em>Lumbricus terrestris</em> belongs to the family Lumbricidae and is widely distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the United States, and other countries in its introduced range. It typically inhabits moist, organic-rich soils in gardens, agricultural fields, woodlands, and grasslands, burrowing deep into the substrate and surfacing at night or after rainfall to feed on decomposing leaf litter and soil organic matter. As a detritivore and ecosystem engineer, the common earthworm dramatically improves soil structure, aeration, drainage, and fertility through its burrowing activity and the production of nutrient-rich castings. It is a critical food source for a wide range of predators including birds, mammals, amphibians, and invertebrates. Charles Darwin extensively studied <em>Lumbricus terrestris</em> and recognized its profound role in soil formation and ecosystem functioning in his 1881 publication on the subject. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.

Westlicher Gorilla

The world's largest primate, western gorillas weigh up to 180 kg and inhabit the tropical and subtropical forests of equatorial Africa. Primarily herbivorous, living in family groups led by a silverback male who protects the troop and mediates social conflicts. Critically Endangered, with populations threatened by deforestation, poaching for bushmeat, and outbreaks of Ebola virus disease.