Botta's Serotine vs Common Dodder

Eptesicus bottae compared with Cuscuta gronovii

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Botta's Serotine	Common Dodder
Kingdom	Animalia (动物界)	Plantae (植物)
Phylum	Chordata (脊索动物门)	Magnoliophyta (木兰植物门)
Class	Mammalia (哺乳動物)	Magnoliopsida (木兰纲)
Order	Chiroptera (翼手目)	Solanales (茄目)
Family	Vespertilionidae	Convolvulaceae
Genus	Eptesicus	Cuscuta
Species	Eptesicus bottae	Cuscuta gronovii

Conservation Status

Botta's Serotine

LC — Least Concern

Common Dodder

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Botta's Serotine	Common Dodder
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Botta's Serotine

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Common Dodder

Habitat

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

Range

Found across Europe (11 countries) and North America (United States).

Botta's Serotine

The Botta's Serotine (Eptesicus bottae) is a species in the genus Eptesicus. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Common Dodder

<em>Cuscuta gronovii</em>, the common dodder, is a parasitic annual vine in the family Convolvulaceae. This species is distributed across eleven European countries as well as the United States, where it typically inhabits diverse terrestrial environments including wetland margins, roadsides, thickets, and disturbed vegetation. Unlike most plants, <em>Cuscuta gronovii</em> lacks chlorophyll and is entirely dependent on host plants for water and nutrients, which it extracts through specialized structures called haustoria. The common dodder typically has slender, twining orange or yellowish stems and produces small, clustered white or pale pink flowers in late summer. It often parasitizes a broad range of host species, including many herbaceous and shrubby plants. Once attached to a host, it typically sheds its connection to the soil and relies entirely on the host for sustenance. The species is assessed as Least Concern, reflecting its wide distribution and ability to colonize disturbed habitats. Its parasitic life history makes it ecologically notable among flowering plants.