Dowdy Plume vs Lion d'Afrique

Stenoptilia zophodactylus compared with Panthera leo

Key Differences

• Dowdy Plume is Extinct while Lion d'Afrique is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Dowdy Plume	Lion d'Afrique
Kingdom same	Animalia (animal)	Animalia (animal)
Phylum	Arthropoda (arthropodes)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Insecta (insecte)	Mammalia (mammifères)
Order	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)	Carnivora (carnivores)
Family	Pterophoridae	Felidae (Cats)
Genus	Stenoptilia	Panthera (Big Cats)
Species	Stenoptilia zophodactylus	Panthera leo

Evolutionary Relationship

Dowdy Plume and Lion d'Afrique share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (animal)

Conservation Status

Dowdy Plume

EX — Extinct

Lion d'Afrique

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~23.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Dowdy Plume	Lion d'Afrique
Diet	—	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	—	15 years
Average Length	—	2.5 m
Average Weight	—	190.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Dowdy Plume

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (7 countries), Asia (11 countries), Europe (26 countries), North America (Mexico, United States), Oceania and the Pacific (Australia, New Zealand), and South America (Ecuador, Paraguay).

Lion d'Afrique

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 7 distinct biome types spanning the Afrotropic and Neotropic and Oceanian realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Distributed across Colombia, Ecuador, and Kenya. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Lion d'Afrique

The largest wild cat in Africa, lions reach up to 250 kg and are the only social felids, living in prides across sub-Saharan savannas and grasslands. Males are distinguished by their iconic manes. As apex predators, they regulate herbivore populations and maintain ecosystem balance. Listed as Vulnerable due to habitat loss and human-wildlife conflict.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 2 countries:

🇪🇨 Ecuador 🇰🇪 Kenya