African elephant vs common razor clam

Loxodonta africana compared with Ensis ensis

Key Differences

• African elephant is Vulnerable while common razor clam is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	African elephant	common razor clam
Kingdom same	Animalia (動物)	Animalia (動物)
Phylum	Chordata (脊索動物)	Mollusca (軟体動物)
Class	Mammalia (哺乳類)	Bivalvia (二枚貝)
Order	Proboscidea (ゾウ目)	Adapedonta (Adapedonta)
Family	Elephantidae (Elephants)	Pharidae
Genus	Loxodonta (African Elephants)	Ensis
Species	Loxodonta africana	Ensis ensis

Evolutionary Relationship

African elephant and common razor clam share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (動物)

Conservation Status

African elephant

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~415.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

common razor clam

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	African elephant	common razor clam
Diet	Herbivore	—
Average Lifespan	65 years	—
Average Length	6.0 m	—
Average Weight	6.0 t	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

African elephant

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 5 distinct biome types within the Afrotropic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

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

common razor clam

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

African elephant

地球上最大の陸上動物であるアフリカゾウは体重7,000 kgに達し、サハラ以南のサバンナ、森林、湿地に生息する。成熟した雌が群れを率いる高度に知的な社会構造を持ち、超低周波音やうなり声、接触によって意思疎通する。木を引き倒したり水飲み場を掘ったり種子を散布したりすることで生態系を形成するエンジニア種だが、象牙の密猟や生息地の喪失により個体数は減少しており、危急（VU）とされている。

common razor clam

<em>Ensis ensis</em>, the common razor clam, is a bivalve mollusk in the family Pharidae, order Adapedonta. It is distributed along the northeastern Atlantic coastline, with documented populations in Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. The species is assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN, suggesting stable populations across much of its range. Common razor clams typically inhabit sandy intertidal and shallow subtidal zones, burrowing rapidly into sediment using their muscular foot to evade predators and avoid desiccation. Their elongated shell, resembling an old-fashioned straight razor, is a distinctive morphological feature of the genus Ensis. <em>Ensis ensis</em> is a suspension feeder, typically drawing in water and filtering phytoplankton and organic particles through its siphons. This feeding strategy makes it an important component of coastal benthic communities. Razor clams play an ecological role as both filter feeders improving water clarity and as prey items for shorebirds, flatfish, and marine mammals. Biological traits such as precise lifespan, body measurements, and diet composition vary across populations and remain incompletely characterized. The species is commercially harvested in parts of its range and is considered a minor fishery resource in Scandinavian waters.