Chlorine Dust Lichen vs koala

Chrysothrix chlorina compared with Phascolarctos cinereus

Key Differences

Chlorine Dust Lichen is Extinct while koala is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Chlorine Dust Lichen	koala
Kingdom	Fungi (Fungi)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Ascomycota (Sac Fungi)	Chordata (cordados)
Class	Arthoniomycetes (Arthoniomycetes)	Mammalia (mamíferos)
Order	Arthoniales (Arthoniales)	Diprotodontia (Marsupials)
Family	Chrysotrichaceae	Phascolarctidae (Koalas)
Genus	Chrysothrix	Phascolarctos (Koalas)
Species	Chrysothrix chlorina	Phascolarctos cinereus

Conservation Status

Chlorine Dust Lichen

EX — Extinct

koala

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~100.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

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

Habitat & Geographic Range

Chlorine Dust Lichen

Habitat

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

Range

Widely distributed across Europe (4 countries), North America (United States), and South America (Brazil, Colombia).

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.

Chlorine Dust Lichen

The Chlorine Dust Lichen (Chrysothrix chlorina) is a crustose lichen in the family Chrysotrichaceae, historically known from calcareous and siliceous rock surfaces and bark in parts of Europe, including the United Kingdom. It belongs to the genus Chrysothrix, a group of powdery, granular lichens that form bright yellow to greenish-yellow leprose thalli — lacking the organised cortex layers of most lichens — composed largely of granular soredia. Chrysothrix species produce unique secondary metabolites including rhizocarpic acid, which contributes to their intense yellow colouration and may serve as protection against grazing invertebrates. The Chlorine Dust Lichen takes its name from the sharp, bleach-like or chlorine odour emitted when the thallus is moistened — a distinctive diagnostic feature. The IUCN has assessed this species as Extinct in Great Britain, where it was historically recorded from ancient woodland and shaded rock sites but has not been confirmed in recent decades. Its apparent extinction in parts of its former range is attributed primarily to severe air quality degradation during the industrial era, as many crustose lichens are highly sensitive to sulphur dioxide and other atmospheric pollutants. It may persist in small areas of cleaner air, and improved air quality since deindustrialisation offers some hope for natural recolonisation.

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.