Close-lobed dandelion vs Gorila Occidental

Taraxacum densilobum compared with Gorilla gorilla

Key Differences

  • Close-lobed dandelion is Least Concern while Gorila Occidental is Critically Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank Close-lobed dandelion Gorila Occidental
Kingdom Plantae (planta) Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants) Chordata (cordados)
Class Magnoliopsida (Dicots) Mammalia (mamíferos)
Order Asterales (Daisies & Sunflowers) Primates (Primates)
Family Asteraceae (Daisy Family) Hominidae (Great Apes)
Genus Taraxacum Gorilla (Gorillas)
Species Taraxacum densilobum Gorilla gorilla

Conservation Status

Close-lobed dandelion

LC — Least Concern

Gorila Occidental

CR — Critically Endangered

Population: ~100.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute Close-lobed dandelion Gorila Occidental
Diet Herbivore
Average Lifespan 40 years
Average Length 1.7 m
Average Weight 160.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Close-lobed dandelion

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

Gorila Occidental

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, and flooded grasslands and savannas, among 4 distinct biome types within the Afrotropic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Distributed across Cameroon, Congo (Republic), Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon. Currently classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Close-lobed dandelion

Close-lobed dandelion refers to a microspecies within the extraordinarily diverse aggregate Taraxacum officinale sensu lato (family Asteraceae), the common dandelion complex. Dandelions are notoriously complex taxonomically due to widespread apomixis — asexual seed production without fertilization — which generates thousands of clonal microspecies that are morphologically distinguishable but reproductively isolated. Close-lobed forms are characterized by leaf lobes that are positioned closely together, with shorter spaces between the lobes than in more deeply divided or open-lobed morphs. This leaf morphology is one of dozens of characters — including lobe shape, involucre bract posture, achene color, and scape characteristics — used by Taraxacum specialists to delineate the hundreds or thousands of named microspecies. Dandelions of all morphologies are ecologically important as early-season nectar and pollen sources for bumblebees, honeybees, and numerous other pollinators. Their deep taproots break up compacted soils and bring nutrients from depth, and their seeds provide food for finches and other seed-eating birds across open habitats in temperate regions.

Gorila Occidental

El primate más grande del mundo, los gorilas occidentales pesan hasta 180 kg y habitan los bosques tropicales y subtropicales del África ecuatorial. Principalmente herbívoros, viven en grupos familiares liderados por un macho de espalda plateada que protege la tropa y media en los conflictos sociales. En Peligro Crítico, con poblaciones amenazadas por la deforestación, la caza furtiva para la venta de carne de monte y los brotes del virus del Ébola.

Nature FYI Family

Explore more of the natural world across our sister sites.

Part of the Nature FYI family — FYIPedia