common European cockle vs koala

Cerastoderma edule compared with Phascolarctos cinereus

Key Differences

• common European cockle is Least Concern while koala is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	common European cockle	koala
Kingdom same	Animalia (動物)	Animalia (動物)
Phylum	Mollusca (軟体動物)	Chordata (脊索動物)
Class	Bivalvia (二枚貝)	Mammalia (哺乳類)
Order	Cardiida (Cardiida)	Diprotodontia (カンガルー目)
Family	Cardiidae	Phascolarctidae (Koalas)
Genus	Cerastoderma	Phascolarctos (Koalas)
Species	Cerastoderma edule	Phascolarctos cinereus

Evolutionary Relationship

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

Conservation Status

common European cockle

LC — Least Concern

koala

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~100.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

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

Habitat & Geographic Range

common European cockle

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden.

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.

common European cockle

<em>Cerastoderma edule</em>, the common European cockle, is an intertidal bivalve mollusc in the family Cardiidae, classified as Least Concern by the IUCN Red List. The species is native to European coastal waters and has been documented in Belgium, Denmark, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden, where it typically inhabits sandy and muddy intertidal and shallow subtidal sediments in estuaries, bays, and open coastlines. <em>Cerastoderma edule</em> is a filter feeder, drawing in seawater through its siphons to extract phytoplankton, bacteria, and organic particles. It is recognized by its distinctive ribbed, cream-colored shell with radiating ridges and concentric growth lines. Cockles are a keystone species in many European coastal ecosystems, providing an important food source for shorebirds such as oystercatchers and knots, predatory fish, crabs, and starfish. The species also supports one of the most commercially significant shellfish fisheries in Europe, with large-scale harvesting operations in the UK, the Netherlands, and Ireland. Dense cockle beds stabilize intertidal sediments and contribute to benthic productivity. Population dynamics are closely linked to sea surface temperature, salinity, and sediment availability, making this species a useful indicator of estuarine ecosystem health. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.

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。