Gorille de l'Ouest vs Tiny Earthstar

Gorilla gorilla compared with Geastrum minimum

Key Differences

• Gorille de l'Ouest is Critically Endangered while Tiny Earthstar is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Gorille de l'Ouest	Tiny Earthstar
Kingdom	Animalia (animal)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)
Class	Mammalia (mammifères)	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)
Order	Primates (Primates)	Geastrales (Geastrales)
Family	Hominidae (Great Apes)	Geastraceae
Genus	Gorilla (Gorillas)	Geastrum
Species	Gorilla gorilla	Geastrum minimum

Conservation Status

Gorille de l'Ouest

CR — Critically Endangered

Population: ~100.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Tiny Earthstar

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Gorille de l'Ouest	Tiny Earthstar
Diet	Herbivore	—
Average Lifespan	40 years	—
Average Length	1.7 m	—
Average Weight	160.0 kg	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Gorille de l'Ouest

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.

Tiny Earthstar

Habitat

Typically found in forest floors, decomposing wood, and soil ecosystems.

Range

Widely distributed across Europe (4 countries), North America (United States), and South America (Brazil). Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Gorille de l'Ouest

The world's largest primate, western gorillas weigh up to 180 kg and inhabit the tropical and subtropical forests of equatorial Africa. Primarily herbivorous, living in family groups led by a silverback male who protects the troop and mediates social conflicts. Critically Endangered, with populations threatened by deforestation, poaching for bushmeat, and outbreaks of Ebola virus disease.