koala vs

Phascolarctos cinereus compared with Wahlenbergiella mucosa

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	koala
Kingdom	Animalia (प्राणी)	Fungi (फफूंद)
Phylum	Chordata (रज्जुकी)	Ascomycota (पुट कवक)
Class	Mammalia (स्तनधारी)	Eurotiomycetes (Eurotiomycetes)
Order	Diprotodontia (डाएप्रोटोडोंटिया)	Verrucariales (Verrucariales)
Family	Phascolarctidae (Koalas)	Verrucariaceae
Genus	Phascolarctos (Koalas)	Wahlenbergiella
Species	Phascolarctos cinereus	Wahlenbergiella mucosa

Conservation Status

koala

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~100.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

VU — Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	koala
Diet	Herbivore	—
Average Lifespan	15 years	—
Average Length	75 cm	—
Average Weight	10.0 kg	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

koala

Habitat

Typically found in grasslands, forests, and vegetated habitats.

Range

Found in Australia. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and United States. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

koala

Iconic marsupial of eastern and southeastern Australia, koalas weigh up to 15 kg and spend up to 22 hours daily sleeping to conserve energy from their low-calorie eucalyptus leaf diet. Highly specialized to process toxic eucalyptus compounds that would kill most other mammals, they have gut microbiomes uniquely adapted for detoxification. Listed as Endangered in 2022, with populations decimated by chlamydia disease, habitat clearing, and climate change.

Wahlenbergiella mucosa is a lichen-forming fungus assessed as Vulnerable (VU), found in aquatic or semi-aquatic habitats such as submerged rocks in streams. It is sensitive to water quality changes and hydrological alteration, which threaten its restricted range. Its vulnerable status underscores the importance of clean, unpolluted freshwater systems.