Da xióngmāo vs Common Freckle Pelt Lichen

Ailuropoda melanoleuca compared with Peltigera aphthosa

Key Differences

• Da xióngmāo is Vulnerable while Common Freckle Pelt Lichen is Extinct.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Da xióngmāo	Common Freckle Pelt Lichen
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)	Lecanoromycetes (茶漬綱)
Order	Carnivora (食肉目)	Peltigerales (地卷菌目)
Family	Ursidae (Bears)	Peltigeraceae
Genus	Ailuropoda (Giant Pandas)	Peltigera
Species	Ailuropoda melanoleuca	Peltigera aphthosa

Conservation Status

Da xióngmāo

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~1.9K

Trend: Increasing ↑

Common Freckle Pelt Lichen

EX — Extinct

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Da xióngmāo	Common Freckle Pelt Lichen
Diet	Herbivore	—
Average Lifespan	20 years	—
Average Length	1.5 m	—
Average Weight	100.0 kg	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Da xióngmāo

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, temperate coniferous forests, and temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, among 7 distinct biome types spanning the Indomalayan and Palearctic realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

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

Common Freckle Pelt Lichen

Habitat

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

Range

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

Da xióngmāo

大熊猫（Ailuropoda melanoleuca）是中国特有的濒危动物，以其黑白相间的体色和几乎完全依赖竹子的食性而闻名于世。该物种保护状态为易危（VU），是国际野生动物保护的旗舰物种，其种群数量近年来有所回升。

Common Freckle Pelt Lichen

<em>Peltigera aphthosa</em> is a foliose lichen in the family Peltigeraceae, order Peltigerales, commonly known as common freckle pelt or speckled felt lichen. This species holds the conservation status of Extinct on the IUCN Red List, representing a serious loss of biodiversity. <em>Peltigera aphthosa</em> has been recorded in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and the United States. Historically, this lichen grew in cool, humid environments including boreal and montane forests, typically on mossy ground, rocks, and tree bases in old-growth habitats. Like other members of the genus Peltigera, <em>Peltigera aphthosa</em> is a tripartite lichen containing a cyanobacterial photobiont (providing nitrogen fixation) in addition to the primary green algal photobiont and fungal mycobiont, making it an ecologically significant contributor to nutrient cycling. Its large, lobed thallus was characterized by distinctive dark cephalodia — wart-like structures housing the nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria. The extinction of this species underscores the vulnerability of lichens to habitat degradation, air pollution, and climate change. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.