Gemeiner Regenwurm vs Koala

Lumbricus terrestris compared with Phascolarctos cinereus

Key Differences

• Gemeiner Regenwurm is Not Evaluated while Koala is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Gemeiner Regenwurm	Koala
Kingdom same	Animalia (Tier)	Animalia (Tier)
Phylum	Annelida (Ringelwürmer)	Chordata (Chordatiere)
Class	Clitellata (Gürtelwürmer)	Mammalia (Säugetiere)
Order	Crassiclitellata (Crassiclitellata)	Diprotodontia (Marsupials)
Family	Lumbricidae	Phascolarctidae (Koalas)
Genus	Lumbricus	Phascolarctos (Koalas)
Species	Lumbricus terrestris	Phascolarctos cinereus

Evolutionary Relationship

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

Conservation Status

Gemeiner Regenwurm

NE — Not Evaluated

Koala

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~100.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Gemeiner Regenwurm	Koala
Diet	—	Herbivore
Average Lifespan	—	15 years
Average Length	—	75 cm
Average Weight	—	10.0 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).

Koala

Habitat

Typically found in grasslands, forests, and vegetated habitats.

Range

Found in Australia. Currently classified as Vulnerable 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.

Koala

Iconic marsupial of eastern and southeastern Australia, koalas weigh up to 15 kg and spend up to 22 hours daily sleeping to conserve energy from their low-calorie eucalyptus leaf diet. Highly specialized to process toxic eucalyptus compounds that would kill most other mammals, they have gut microbiomes uniquely adapted for detoxification. Listed as Endangered in 2022, with populations decimated by chlamydia disease, habitat clearing, and climate change.