common rock-rose vs gray wolf

Helianthemum nummularium compared with Canis lupus

Key Differences

  • common rock-rose is Near Threatened while gray wolf is Critically Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank common rock-rose gray wolf
Kingdom Plantae (tumbuhan) Animalia (hewan)
Phylum Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants) Chordata (Chordates)
Class Magnoliopsida (Dicots) Mammalia (mamalia)
Order Malvales (Malvales) Carnivora (Carnivorans)
Family Cistaceae Canidae (Dogs & Wolves)
Genus Helianthemum Canis (Dogs & Wolves)
Species Helianthemum nummularium Canis lupus

Conservation Status

common rock-rose

NT — Near Threatened

gray wolf

CR — Critically Endangered

Population: ~300.0K

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

Attribute common rock-rose gray wolf
Diet Carnivore
Average Lifespan 13 years
Average Length 1.6 m
Average Weight 45.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

common rock-rose

Habitat

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

Range

Found across Europe (6 countries). Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

gray wolf

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, deserts and xeric shrublands, and tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, among 13 distinct biome types. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (Seychelles), Asia (Japan), Europe (5 countries), North America (7 countries), Oceania and the Pacific (Marshall Islands, Vanuatu), and South America (5 countries). Currently classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

common rock-rose

<em>Helianthemum nummularium</em>, the common rock rose, is a low-growing subshrub in the family Cistaceae, order Malvales. It is assessed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List and is distributed across Europe, with populations documented in Belgium, Czech Republic, Germany, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Common rock rose typically grows in calcareous grasslands, rocky outcrops, chalk and limestone downlands, and dry heathland habitats with well-drained, nutrient-poor soils. It is a characteristic species of traditionally managed grasslands and is considered a key plant in European chalk grassland communities. The plant produces small but vivid yellow five-petaled flowers from late spring to midsummer, attracting a range of pollinating insects. <em>Helianthemum nummularium</em> is a host plant for the caterpillars of several specialist butterfly species, including the brown argus. Its Near Threatened status reflects the significant loss of calcareous grassland habitat across Europe due to agricultural intensification, scrub encroachment, and land use change. As a plant, biological traits such as lifespan and diet are measured differently than in animals; the species is a perennial subshrub with vegetative spread and seed reproduction. Conservation grazing management is critical for maintaining suitable habitat for this species.

gray wolf

The most widely distributed wild canid, gray wolves range from North America across Eurasia in diverse habitats including tundra, forests, and grasslands. Highly social animals living in family packs led by a dominant breeding pair. As keystone predators, wolves regulate prey populations and profoundly shape ecosystem structure, as demonstrated by their reintroduction in Yellowstone. Once heavily persecuted, populations are recovering in many regions.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 4 countries:

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