coast amaranth vs bec de jar

Amaranthus pumilus compared with Mya arenaria

Key Differences

coast amaranth is Extinct while bec de jar is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	coast amaranth	bec de jar
Kingdom	Plantae (plante)	Animalia (animal)
Phylum	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Mollusca (mollusques)
Class	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Bivalvia (Bivalvia)
Order	Caryophyllales (Caryophyllales)	Myida (Myida)
Family	Amaranthaceae	Myidae
Genus	Amaranthus	Mya
Species	Amaranthus pumilus	Mya arenaria

Conservation Status

coast amaranth

EX — Extinct

bec de jar

VU — Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	coast amaranth	bec de jar
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

coast amaranth

Habitat

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

Range

Found in Japan.

bec de jar

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, temperate coniferous forests, and temperate grasslands and steppes, among 5 distinct biome types within the Palearctic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Georgia, Turkey), Europe (22 countries), and North America (Canada, United States). Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

coast amaranth

Coast amaranth (Amaranthus pumilus) is an annual herb in the family Amaranthaceae, native to the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the eastern United States, where it once grew on coastal foredunes, beach strand, and shell-hash substrates above the high tide line from New York south to South Carolina. It is a low-growing, fleshy plant with small, rounded leaves and inconspicuous green flowers typical of the genus. Coast amaranth is assessed as Extinct in the Wild by the IUCN, as it has not been reliably documented from wild populations since the mid-20th century; the last confirmed collections date to the 1960s. The species' decline and likely extinction resulted from intense human pressure on Atlantic coastal habitats through shoreline development, beach stabilisation, vehicular traffic on beaches, and increased storm frequency disrupting pioneer dune vegetation. It is federally listed as Threatened in the United States, though this listing predates confirmed extinction in the wild. A small number of ex-situ accessions may exist in botanical garden collections. Genetic material and seed banking efforts represent the only remaining conservation options for this critically reduced species.

bec de jar

Large-Neck Clam (Mya arenaria) is classified as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List. Facing a high risk of endangerment in the wild, with declining populations and increasing habitat pressure.