vs koala

Cocconeis placentula compared with Phascolarctos cinereus

Key Differences

is Not Evaluated while koala is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank		koala
Kingdom	Chromista (Chromista)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Ochrophyta (Ochrophyta)	Chordata (cordados)
Class	Bacillariophyceae (Bacillariophyceae)	Mammalia (mamíferos)
Order	Achnanthales (Achnanthales)	Diprotodontia (Marsupials)
Family	Cocconeidaceae	Phascolarctidae (Koalas)
Genus	Cocconeis	Phascolarctos (Koalas)
Species	Cocconeis placentula	Phascolarctos cinereus

Conservation Status

NE — Not Evaluated

koala

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~100.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

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

Habitat & Geographic Range

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Brazil, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, and Taiwan.

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.

Cocconeis placentula is among the most ubiquitous and widely studied freshwater and brackish-water diatoms worldwide, serving as a model organism for periphyton ecology and a key species in biological assessment of water quality. A member of the family Cocconeidaceae, this adnate epiphyte produces a characteristic ovoid frustule with fine transapical striae, a well-developed raphe system on one valve, and an elaborate pattern of areolae visible under electron microscopy. The species complex encompasses several morphological varieties (var. placentula, var. lineata, var. euglypta, var. acuta) that differ in fine structural details of the valve ornamentation. Cocconeis placentula colonizes the surfaces of aquatic plants, algae, rocks, and sediment particles in rivers, lakes, and ponds across a vast global range spanning Europe, the Americas, Asia, Africa, and beyond, tolerating a wide range of water temperatures, pH values, and moderate nutrient enrichment. Its abundance varies dramatically with substrate type, light availability, and water chemistry, making community composition data involving this species valuable in diatom-based paleolimnological reconstructions and modern bioassessment indices. As a benthic primary producer, C. placentula contributes substantially to the productivity of the photic benthos and serves as a dietary component for invertebrate grazers. Its remarkable cosmopolitan distribution and ecological flexibility make it one of the defining species of freshwater periphyton communities globally. Conservation status is not formally assessed.

koala

Icônico marsupial do leste e sudeste da Austrália, os coalas pesam até 15 kg e passam até 22 horas diárias dormindo para conservar energia de sua dieta de folhas de eucalipto, com baixo teor calórico. Altamente especializados para processar os compostos tóxicos do eucalipto que matariam a maioria dos outros mamíferos, possuem microbiomas intestinais unicamente adaptados para a destoxificação. Classificado como Em Perigo em 2022, com populações dizimadas pela doença de clamídia, desmatamento e mudanças climáticas.