Gemeine Schwertmuschel vs Koala

Ensis ensis compared with Phascolarctos cinereus

Key Differences

• Gemeine Schwertmuschel is Least Concern while Koala is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Gemeine Schwertmuschel	Koala
Kingdom same	Animalia (Tier)	Animalia (Tier)
Phylum	Mollusca (Weichtiere)	Chordata (Chordatiere)
Class	Bivalvia (Muscheln)	Mammalia (Säugetiere)
Order	Adapedonta (Adapedonta)	Diprotodontia (Marsupials)
Family	Pharidae	Phascolarctidae (Koalas)
Genus	Ensis	Phascolarctos (Koalas)
Species	Ensis ensis	Phascolarctos cinereus

Evolutionary Relationship

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

Conservation Status

Gemeine Schwertmuschel

LC — Least Concern

Koala

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~100.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Gemeine Schwertmuschel	Koala
Diet	—	Herbivore
Average Lifespan	—	15 years
Average Length	—	75 cm
Average Weight	—	10.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Gemeine Schwertmuschel

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

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.

Gemeine Schwertmuschel

<em>Ensis ensis</em>, the common razor clam, is a bivalve mollusk in the family Pharidae, order Adapedonta. It is distributed along the northeastern Atlantic coastline, with documented populations in Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. The species is assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN, suggesting stable populations across much of its range. Common razor clams typically inhabit sandy intertidal and shallow subtidal zones, burrowing rapidly into sediment using their muscular foot to evade predators and avoid desiccation. Their elongated shell, resembling an old-fashioned straight razor, is a distinctive morphological feature of the genus Ensis. <em>Ensis ensis</em> is a suspension feeder, typically drawing in water and filtering phytoplankton and organic particles through its siphons. This feeding strategy makes it an important component of coastal benthic communities. Razor clams play an ecological role as both filter feeders improving water clarity and as prey items for shorebirds, flatfish, and marine mammals. Biological traits such as precise lifespan, body measurements, and diet composition vary across populations and remain incompletely characterized. The species is commercially harvested in parts of its range and is considered a minor fishery resource in Scandinavian waters.

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.