Ballena azul vs common earthworm

Balaenoptera musculus compared with Lumbricus terrestris

Key Differences

• Ballena azul is Vulnerable while common earthworm is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Ballena azul	common earthworm
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Chordata (cordados)	Annelida (Segmented Worms)
Class	Mammalia (mamíferos)	Clitellata (Clitellata)
Order	Cetacea (Whales & Dolphins)	Crassiclitellata (Crassiclitellata)
Family	Balaenopteridae (Rorquals)	Lumbricidae
Genus	Balaenoptera (Rorquals)	Lumbricus
Species	Balaenoptera musculus	Lumbricus terrestris

Evolutionary Relationship

Ballena azul and common earthworm share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Ballena azul

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~15.0K

Trend: Increasing ↑

common earthworm

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Ballena azul	common earthworm
Diet	Carnivore	—
Average Lifespan	90 years	—
Average Length	30.0 m	—
Average Weight	150.0 t	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Ballena azul

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 11 distinct biome types. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Taiwan), Europe (4 countries), and South America (Colombia, Ecuador). Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

common earthworm

Habitat

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

Range

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

Ballena azul

El animal más grande que se conoce haya vivido en la Tierra; las ballenas azules pueden alcanzar 33 metros y 200 toneladas — sus corazones solos pesan tanto como un automóvil pequeño. Se encuentran en todos los océanos y migran entre las zonas de alimentación polares y las áreas de reproducción tropicales. Son filtradoras que consumen hasta 4 toneladas de kril al día. En peligro de extinción, con poblaciones globales estimadas entre 10.000 y 25.000 tras casi extinguirse por la caza de ballenas en el siglo XX.

common earthworm

<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.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 4 countries:

🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇵🇹 Portugal 🇸🇪 Sweden