African elephant vs Common Glasscup

Loxodonta africana compared with Orbilia xanthostigma

Key Differences

• African elephant is Vulnerable while Common Glasscup is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	African elephant	Common Glasscup
Kingdom	Animalia (动物界)	Fungi (真菌界)
Phylum	Chordata (脊索动物门)	Ascomycota (子囊菌门)
Class	Mammalia (哺乳動物)	Orbiliomycetes (圓盤菌綱)
Order	Proboscidea (长鼻目)	Orbiliales (圆盘菌目)
Family	Elephantidae (Elephants)	Orbiliaceae
Genus	Loxodonta (African Elephants)	Orbilia
Species	Loxodonta africana	Orbilia xanthostigma

Conservation Status

African elephant

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~415.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Common Glasscup

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	African elephant	Common Glasscup
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.

Common Glasscup

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

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。

Common Glasscup

<em>Orbilia xanthostigma</em>, commonly known as the common glasscup, is a saprotrophic fungus in the family Orbiliaceae. The species has been documented in Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, and is understood to have a broader distribution across temperate Europe. Fungi in the genus <em>Orbilia</em> are characterized by their small, typically pale or brightly colored, cup-shaped to disc-shaped fruiting bodies (apothecia) that form on decaying wood and plant matter. <em>Orbilia xanthostigma</em> typically grows on the surface of dead and decaying wood, including logs and fallen branches in forest and woodland habitats. The species is not currently evaluated for conservation status. As a saprotrophic organism, the common glasscup contributes to decomposition processes and nutrient cycling in forest ecosystems by breaking down woody substrates. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature. The genus <em>Orbilia</em> is also notable within mycology for including species that are predatory on nematodes, though the dietary habits of <em>O. xanthostigma</em> specifically require further research.