vs koala

Chitinophaga ginsengisoli compared with Phascolarctos cinereus

Key Differences

is Not Evaluated while koala is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank		koala
Kingdom	Bacteria (Bacteria)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Bacteroidota (Bacteroidota)	Chordata (cordados)
Class	Bacteroidia (Bacteroidia)	Mammalia (mamíferos)
Order	Chitinophagales (Chitinophagales)	Diprotodontia (Marsupials)
Family	Chitinophagaceae	Phascolarctidae (Koalas)
Genus	Chitinophaga	Phascolarctos (Koalas)
Species	Chitinophaga ginsengisoli	Phascolarctos cinereus

Conservation Status

NE — Not Evaluated

koala

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~100.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute		koala
Diet	—	Herbivore
Average Lifespan	—	15 years
Average Length	—	75 cm
Average Weight	—	10.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Habitat

Native to Asia, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Found in Taiwan.

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.

Chitinophaga ginsengisoli is a Gram-negative, rod-shaped bacterium belonging to the family Chitinophagaceae within the phylum Bacteroidota. First isolated from ginseng field soil in South Korea, this species is a member of the genus Chitinophaga, a group of bacteria characterised by their ability to degrade chitin — the structural polysaccharide found in fungal cell walls and arthropod exoskeletons — via the production of extracellular chitinases. This enzymatic capability makes Chitinophaga species important players in soil nutrient cycling, contributing to the decomposition of organic nitrogen-rich materials and the mineralisation of chitin into bioavailable nitrogen compounds. Colonies of C. ginsengisoli typically exhibit yellow-orange pigmentation on culture media. Like other members of the genus, it is aerobic, mesophilic, and associated with terrestrial soil habitats, where it forms part of the complex microbial communities that drive soil health and fertility. The species' association with ginseng cultivation soils suggests potential interactions with the rhizosphere microbiome. As a bacterium, it has no IUCN conservation status; the designation Not Evaluated reflects the inapplicability of standard wildlife assessments to microorganisms. Research on Chitinophaga species has practical interest for biotechnology, including the development of biocontrol agents against fungal pathogens and chitin-degrading enzyme applications in agriculture.

koala

Icónico marsupial del este y sureste de Australia, los koalas pesan hasta 15 kg y pasan hasta 22 horas diarias durmiendo para conservar energía de su dieta de hojas de eucalipto, baja en calorías. Altamente especializados para procesar los compuestos tóxicos del eucalipto que matarían a la mayoría de los demás mamíferos, poseen microbiomas intestinales únicamente adaptados para la desintoxicación. Clasificado como En Peligro en 2022, con poblaciones diezmadas por la enfermedad de clamidia, la deforestación y el cambio climático.