Cheetah vs Scaly Earthball

Acinonyx jubatus compared with Scleroderma verrucosum

Key Differences

Cheetah is Vulnerable while Scaly Earthball is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Cheetah	Scaly Earthball
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum	Chordata (cordados)	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)
Class	Mammalia (mamíferos)	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)
Order	Carnivora (carnívoros)	Boletales (Boletales)
Family	Felidae (Cats)	Sclerodermataceae
Genus	Acinonyx (Cheetahs)	Scleroderma
Species	Acinonyx jubatus	Scleroderma verrucosum

Conservation Status

Cheetah

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~6.7K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Scaly Earthball

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Cheetah	Scaly Earthball
Diet	Carnivore	—
Average Lifespan	12 years	—
Average Length	1.5 m	—
Average Weight	50.0 kg	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Cheetah

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, and flooded grasslands and savannas, among 9 distinct biome types spanning the Afrotropic and Palearctic realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Distributed across Botswana, Iran, Kenya, Namibia, and Tanzania. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Scaly Earthball

Habitat

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

Range

Found across Europe (5 countries) and South America (Brazil).

Cheetah

A chita (Acinonyx jubatus) é o animal terrestre mais veloz do mundo, capaz de atingir 120 km/h em corridas curtas. Possui corpo esbelto, pernas longas e manchas negras sólidas sobre pelagem dourada. Distribui-se nas savanas africanas e, em pequena população, no Irã. Diferentemente de outros grandes felinos, não ruge. Caça durante o dia, utilizando visão aguçada e velocidade para perseguir presas. Classificada como espécie vulnerável, com menos de 7.000 indivíduos na natureza.