koala vs Veatch's dodder

Phascolarctos cinereus compared with Cuscuta veatchii

Key Differences

• koala is Vulnerable while Veatch's dodder is Extinct.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	koala	Veatch's dodder
Kingdom	Animalia (สัตว์)	Plantae (พืช)
Phylum	Chordata (สัตว์มีแกนสันหลัง)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class	Mammalia (สัตว์เลี้ยงลูกด้วยน้ำนม)	Magnoliopsida (พืชใบเลี้ยงคู่)
Order	Diprotodontia (Marsupials)	Solanales (อันดับมะเขือ)
Family	Phascolarctidae (Koalas)	Convolvulaceae
Genus	Phascolarctos (Koalas)	Cuscuta
Species	Phascolarctos cinereus	Cuscuta veatchii

Conservation Status

koala

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~100.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Veatch's dodder

EX — Extinct

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	koala	Veatch's dodder
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.

Veatch's dodder

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

koala

Iconic marsupial of eastern and southeastern Australia, koalas weigh up to 15 kg and spend up to 22 hours daily sleeping to conserve energy from their low-calorie eucalyptus leaf diet. Highly specialized to process toxic eucalyptus compounds that would kill most other mammals, they have gut microbiomes uniquely adapted for detoxification. Listed as Endangered in 2022, with populations decimated by chlamydia disease, habitat clearing, and climate change.