Alpine Foam Lichen vs Cluster Bat

Stereocaulon alpinum compared with Myotis sodalis

Key Differences

Alpine Foam Lichen is Data Deficient while Cluster Bat is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Alpine Foam Lichen	Cluster Bat
Kingdom	Fungi (Fungi)	Animalia (animal)
Phylum	Ascomycota (Sac Fungi)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Lecanoromycetes (Lecanoromycetes)	Mammalia (mammifères)
Order	Lecanorales (Lecanorales)	Chiroptera (Bats)
Family	Stereocaulaceae	Vespertilionidae
Genus	Stereocaulon	Myotis
Species	Stereocaulon alpinum	Myotis sodalis

Conservation Status

Alpine Foam Lichen

DD — Data Deficient

Cluster Bat

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Alpine Foam Lichen	Cluster Bat
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Alpine Foam Lichen

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and United States.

Cluster Bat

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Found in United States. Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Alpine Foam Lichen

The Alpine Foam Lichen (Stereocaulon alpinum) is a species in the genus Stereocaulon. Its conservation status is listed as Data Deficient, indicating insufficient data for assessment. Native to Europe and North America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region. Distributed across Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and United States.

Cluster Bat

Myotis sodalis, the Indiana bat or cluster bat, is a medium-sized insectivorous bat in the family Vespertilionidae endemic to the eastern United States. It is one of the most endangered bats in North America, listed as Endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act and classified as Near Threatened by the IUCN. The species is named for its behavior of clustering in extremely dense hibernation groups—sometimes thousands of bats per square meter—in specific limestone caves and mines during winter. These few critical hibernacula make the species extremely vulnerable to disturbance and disease. Since 2007, Indiana bats have suffered severe mortality from white-nose syndrome, a fungal disease caused by Pseudogymnoascus destructans that disrupts hibernation and causes mass starvation. During summer, Indiana bats roost under loose bark of dead trees and forage for insects over forested landscapes and riparian areas. Foraging individuals consume moths, beetles, and flying insects. Conservation efforts include cave gate protection, white-nose syndrome research, and summer habitat management on public and private lands across the eastern US.