African elephant vs clouded silver

Loxodonta africana compared with Lomographa temerata

Key Differences

  • African elephant is Vulnerable while clouded silver is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank African elephant clouded silver
Kingdom same Animalia (动物界) Animalia (动物界)
Phylum Chordata (脊索动物门) Arthropoda (节肢动物门)
Class Mammalia (哺乳動物) Insecta (昆蟲綱)
Order Proboscidea (长鼻目) Lepidoptera (鱗翅目)
Family Elephantidae (Elephants) Geometridae
Genus Loxodonta (African Elephants) Lomographa
Species Loxodonta africana Lomographa temerata

Evolutionary Relationship

African elephant and clouded silver share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (动物界)

Conservation Status

African elephant

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~415.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

clouded silver

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute African elephant clouded silver
Diet Herbivore
Average Lifespan 65 years
Average Length 6.0 m
Average Weight 6.0 t

Habitat & Geographic Range

African elephant

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 5 distinct biome types within the Afrotropic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Found in Kenya. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

clouded silver

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

African elephant

非洲象是地球上体型最大的陆地动物,体重可达7,000千克,栖息于撒哈拉以南非洲的草原、稀树草原和森林中。作为关键种,它们通过挖掘水源、传播种子和改变植被结构,深刻塑造了其栖息地的生态系统。受栖息地丧失和象牙盗猎威胁,非洲象的保护至关重要。

clouded silver

The clouded silver (Lomographa temerata) is a geometrid moth in the family Geometridae found across temperate Europe and extending through Asia to Japan. The adult wingspan measures approximately 28–36 mm, with white forewings bearing irregular pale grey-brown cross-bands and stippling that create a subtle clouded silver-grey appearance against the white ground color. Adults fly in one generation from April to June, often resting on foliage and low vegetation with wings spread flat. The larvae feed on blackthorn (Prunus spinosa), hawthorn (Crataegus), and other Rosaceae shrubs in hedgerows, scrub, and woodland margins. The clouded silver is characteristic of landscapes with structurally diverse hedgerows, scrub edges, and woodland margins across Britain, Ireland, and continental Europe, where it can be relatively common. It is frequently attracted to light traps and serves as an indicator of diverse hedgerow structure with abundant blackthorn and hawthorn. Populations appear relatively stable across well-managed agricultural landscapes with retained hedgerow networks, though loss of traditional hedge management threatens many moth species associated with these linear habitats.

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