koala vs Tiny Earthstar

Phascolarctos cinereus compared with Geastrum minimum

Key Differences

• koala is Vulnerable while Tiny Earthstar is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	koala	Tiny Earthstar
Kingdom	Animalia (動物)	Fungi (菌界)
Phylum	Chordata (脊索動物)	Basidiomycota (担子菌門)
Class	Mammalia (哺乳類)	Agaricomycetes (真正担子菌綱)
Order	Diprotodontia (カンガルー目)	Geastrales (ヒメツチグリ目)
Family	Phascolarctidae (Koalas)	Geastraceae
Genus	Phascolarctos (Koalas)	Geastrum
Species	Phascolarctos cinereus	Geastrum minimum

Conservation Status

koala

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~100.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Tiny Earthstar

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	koala	Tiny Earthstar
Diet	Herbivore	—
Average Lifespan	15 years	—
Average Length	75 cm	—
Average Weight	10.0 kg	—

Habitat & Geographic 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.

Tiny Earthstar

Habitat

Typically found in forest floors, decomposing wood, and soil ecosystems.

Range

Widely distributed across Europe (4 countries), North America (United States), and South America (Brazil). Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

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。