common earthworm vs gray wolf

Lumbricus terrestris compared with Canis lupus

Key Differences

• common earthworm is Not Evaluated while gray wolf is Critically Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	common earthworm	gray wolf
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Annelida (Anelídeo)	Chordata (cordados)
Class	Clitellata (Clitellata)	Mammalia (mamíferos)
Order	Crassiclitellata (Crassiclitellata)	Carnivora (carnívoros)
Family	Lumbricidae	Canidae (Dogs & Wolves)
Genus	Lumbricus	Canis (Dogs & Wolves)
Species	Lumbricus terrestris	Canis lupus

Evolutionary Relationship

common earthworm and gray wolf share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

common earthworm

NE — Not Evaluated

gray wolf

CR — Critically Endangered

Population: ~300.0K

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	common earthworm	gray wolf
Diet	—	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	—	13 years
Average Length	—	1.6 m
Average Weight	—	45.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

common earthworm

Habitat

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

Range

Found across Europe (6 countries) and North America (United States).

gray wolf

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, deserts and xeric shrublands, and tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, among 13 distinct biome types. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (Seychelles), Asia (Japan), Europe (5 countries), North America (7 countries), Oceania and the Pacific (Marshall Islands, Vanuatu), and South America (5 countries). Currently classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

common earthworm

<em>Lumbricus terrestris</em>, the common earthworm, is one of the most ecologically significant invertebrates in temperate soils and is native to Europe, with introduced populations established across North America and other regions globally. The species is not evaluated by the IUCN Red List. <em>Lumbricus terrestris</em> belongs to the family Lumbricidae and is widely distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the United States, and other countries in its introduced range. It typically inhabits moist, organic-rich soils in gardens, agricultural fields, woodlands, and grasslands, burrowing deep into the substrate and surfacing at night or after rainfall to feed on decomposing leaf litter and soil organic matter. As a detritivore and ecosystem engineer, the common earthworm dramatically improves soil structure, aeration, drainage, and fertility through its burrowing activity and the production of nutrient-rich castings. It is a critical food source for a wide range of predators including birds, mammals, amphibians, and invertebrates. Charles Darwin extensively studied <em>Lumbricus terrestris</em> and recognized its profound role in soil formation and ecosystem functioning in his 1881 publication on the subject. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.

gray wolf

O lobo-cinzento (Canis lupus), o canídeo selvagem mais amplamente distribuído, ocorre da América do Norte à Eurásia em habitats diversos, incluindo tundra, florestas e pradarias. São animais altamente sociais que vivem em matilhas familiares lideradas por um casal reprodutor dominante. Como predadores-chave, os lobos regulam as populações de presas e moldam profundamente a estrutura do ecossistema, como demonstrou sua reintrodução em Yellowstone. Antes muito perseguidos, as populações estão se recuperando em muitas regiões.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 5 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇺🇸 United States