ciliate fringewort vs koala

Ptilidium ciliare compared with Phascolarctos cinereus

Key Differences

• ciliate fringewort is Endangered while koala is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	ciliate fringewort	koala
Kingdom	Plantae (植物)	Animalia (動物)
Phylum	Marchantiophyta (苔類)	Chordata (脊索動物)
Class	Jungermanniopsida (Jungermanniopsida)	Mammalia (哺乳類)
Order	Ptilidiales (Ptilidiales)	Diprotodontia (カンガルー目)
Family	Ptilidiaceae	Phascolarctidae (Koalas)
Genus	Ptilidium	Phascolarctos (Koalas)
Species	Ptilidium ciliare	Phascolarctos cinereus

Conservation Status

ciliate fringewort

EN — Endangered

koala

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~100.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

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

Habitat & Geographic Range

ciliate fringewort

Habitat

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

Range

Found across Europe (5 countries) and North America (United States). Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its 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.

ciliate fringewort

Ciliate fringewort (Ptilidium ciliare) is a leafy liverwort in the family Ptilidiaceae, found in boreal and montane regions of the Northern Hemisphere, including Europe, North America, and parts of northern Asia. It grows as a creeping, irregularly branched mat with leaves divided into deeply fringed lobes edged with long, hair-like cilia—the characteristic feature that gives the species its common name. Ciliate fringewort colonizes a variety of substrates including rock surfaces, boulders, tree trunks, and peaty ground in open to moderately shaded habitats such as heathland, moorland, montane grasslands, and subalpine and subarctic vegetation. It is particularly common on exposed rocks in boreal and tundra zones. The species is classified as Endangered in parts of Europe, where lowland populations have declined severely due to atmospheric nitrogen deposition, afforestation of open heathland, and the loss of traditionally managed heath and moorland habitats. Populations in montane and boreal zones remain more stable. Ciliate fringewort is sensitive to elevated nitrogen levels that promote the competitive dominance of grasses and mosses. Restoration of lowland heathland and reduction of nitrogen pollution are key measures needed to support remaining European populations. The species is better represented in Scandinavian boreal habitats and North American taiga and tundra.

koala

オーストラリア東部・南東部を代表する有袋類で、体重は最大15kgに達し、低カロリーのユーカリの葉食から得るエネルギーを節約するために1日最大22時間を睡眠に費やす。他の哺乳類の多くを死に至らしめる有毒なユーカリ成分を処理するために高度に特化しており、解毒に特別に適応した腸内微生物叢を持つ。クラミジア感染症、生息地の伐採、気候変動により個体数が激減し、2022年に絶滅危惧種に指定された。