Canadian beaver vs Common maple aphid

Castor canadensis compared with Periphyllus testudinaceus

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Canadian beaver	Common maple aphid
Kingdom same	Animalia (สัตว์)	Animalia (สัตว์)
Phylum	Chordata (สัตว์มีแกนสันหลัง)	Arthropoda (สัตว์ขาปล้อง)
Class	Mammalia (สัตว์เลี้ยงลูกด้วยน้ำนม)	Insecta (แมลง)
Order	Rodentia (อันดับสัตว์ฟันแทะ)	Hemiptera (มวน)
Family	Castoridae (Beavers)	Aphididae
Genus	Castor (Beavers)	Periphyllus
Species	Castor canadensis	Periphyllus testudinaceus

Evolutionary Relationship

Canadian beaver and Common maple aphid share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (สัตว์)

Conservation Status

Canadian beaver

NE — Not Evaluated

Population: ~15.0M

Trend: Stable →

Common maple aphid

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Canadian beaver	Common maple aphid
Diet	Herbivore	—
Average Lifespan	15 years	—
Average Length	1.0 m	—
Average Weight	25.0 kg	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Canadian beaver

Habitat

Typically found in grasslands, forests, and vegetated habitats.

Range

Widely distributed across Europe (15 countries), North America (United States), and South America (Argentina, Chile).

Common maple aphid

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and United States.

Canadian beaver

The largest rodent in North America, Canadian beavers weigh up to 32 kg and are master ecosystem engineers inhabiting rivers, lakes, and wetlands across Canada and the northern United States. By felling trees and constructing dams up to hundreds of meters long, beavers create ponds that provide habitat for hundreds of species. Their lodges and canals transform entire watersheds. Once nearly hunted to extinction for their fur, beaver populations have recovered strongly.

Common maple aphid

<em>Periphyllus testudinaceus</em>, the common maple aphid, is a small sap-sucking insect in the family Aphididae, associated primarily with maple trees of the genus Acer. It is recorded from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and the United States. This species has not been formally evaluated for IUCN conservation status. The common maple aphid typically forms colonies on the undersides of maple leaves and along young shoots, feeding on phloem sap and potentially causing leaf curling, discoloration, and reduced tree vigor in heavy infestations. Like many aphid species, it produces honeydew as a metabolic byproduct, which attracts ants that may protect the aphid colonies in exchange. The species exhibits complex life cycles that can involve both sexual and asexual reproduction across seasons. Biological traits including body size, average lifespan, and precise dietary specializations beyond maple sap feeding remain incompletely documented. The common maple aphid is part of the broader community of invertebrates dependent on maple trees across temperate Northern Hemisphere regions.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 3 countries:

🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇺🇸 United States