Compact Stonewort vs koala

Nitella mucronata compared with Phascolarctos cinereus

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Compact Stonewort	koala
Kingdom	Plantae (植物)	Animalia (動物)
Phylum	Charophyta (車軸藻植物門)	Chordata (脊索動物)
Class	Charophyceae (車軸藻綱)	Mammalia (哺乳類)
Order	Charales (車軸藻類)	Diprotodontia (カンガルー目)
Family	Characeae	Phascolarctidae (Koalas)
Genus	Nitella	Phascolarctos (Koalas)
Species	Nitella mucronata	Phascolarctos cinereus

Conservation Status

Compact Stonewort

VU — Vulnerable

koala

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~100.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Compact Stonewort	koala
Diet	—	Herbivore
Average Lifespan	—	15 years
Average Length	—	75 cm
Average Weight	—	10.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Compact Stonewort

Habitat

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

Range

Widely distributed across Europe (4 countries), North America (United States), and South America (Brazil). Currently classified as Vulnerable 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.

Compact Stonewort

Nitella mucronata, compact stonewort, is a freshwater macroalga in the family Characeae, belonging to the charophyte lineage considered the closest algal relatives of land plants. It has been recorded from fresh and brackish water bodies in Belgium, Brazil, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and the United States, inhabiting clear, nutrient-poor lakes, ponds, and slow-moving streams. Stoneworts of the genus Nitella are delicate, translucent plants lacking the calcium carbonate encrustation typical of the related genus Chara, growing submerged in well-lit, oligotrophic aquatic environments. They typically form dense underwater meadows that provide important habitat for invertebrates and small fish, while also stabilising sediments and contributing to water clarity through nutrient uptake. Nitella mucronata is classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN, reflecting sensitivity to water quality deterioration, eutrophication from agricultural runoff and sewage, and the loss of clear, unpolluted water bodies across its range in Europe and beyond. The species is particularly vulnerable to increased phosphorus and nitrogen loading, which promotes algal blooms that shade out submerged macrophytes. Biological traits including average lifespan, reproduction rates, and morphological measurements remain poorly documented compared to more widespread charophyte species. Conservation of Nitella mucronata depends on improving water quality in its freshwater habitats and protecting oligotrophic water bodies from nutrient pollution.

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。