Clover Cutworm vs koala

Anarta trifolii compared with Phascolarctos cinereus

Key Differences

• Clover Cutworm is Least Concern while koala is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Clover Cutworm	koala
Kingdom same	Animalia (動物)	Animalia (動物)
Phylum	Arthropoda (節足動物)	Chordata (脊索動物)
Class	Insecta (昆虫)	Mammalia (哺乳類)
Order	Lepidoptera (チョウ目)	Diprotodontia (カンガルー目)
Family	Noctuidae	Phascolarctidae (Koalas)
Genus	Anarta	Phascolarctos (Koalas)
Species	Anarta trifolii	Phascolarctos cinereus

Evolutionary Relationship

Clover Cutworm and koala share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (動物)

Conservation Status

Clover Cutworm

LC — Least Concern

koala

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~100.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

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

Habitat & Geographic Range

Clover Cutworm

Habitat

Inhabits tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests and deserts and xeric shrublands within the Afrotropic biogeographic realm.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (Cabo Verde), Asia (Yemen), Europe (4 countries), and North America (Canada, United States).

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.

Clover Cutworm

The clover cutworm (Anarta trifolii) is a noctuid moth in the family Noctuidae, order Lepidoptera, with a wide distribution spanning Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America. The species has a characteristic cutworm larva that severs plant stems near the soil surface or feeds on leaves and developing seeds, causing significant damage to crops. Primary host plants include clover (Trifolium), alfalfa, beet, and various other broadleaf crops and weeds, making A. trifolii an agricultural pest of moderate to significant importance in affected regions. Adults are brownish-grey moths with subtle wing patterns typical of the noctuidae family, and like most noctuids, they are nocturnal and attracted to light sources. The species is highly mobile, with adults capable of long-distance migration that enables rapid colonization of new agricultural areas. A. trifolii inhabits a broad range of open habitats including agricultural fields, meadows, steppes, and disturbed grasslands across its extensive range. Its polyphagous larval diet and migratory adult behavior contribute to its wide geographic range spanning multiple continents. In Europe, it is found from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia; in North America it occurs in both Canada and the United States. A. trifolii is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, with populations considered stable and the species benefiting from the widespread availability of agricultural host plants. Natural enemies include parasitoid wasps and tachinid flies, along with pathogens including nuclear polyhedrosis viruses used in biological control.

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。