vs koala

Chitinophaga rupis compared with Phascolarctos cinereus

Key Differences

is Not Evaluated while koala is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank		koala
Kingdom	Bacteria (Bacteria)	Animalia (动物界)
Phylum	Bacteroidota (拟杆菌门)	Chordata (脊索动物门)
Class	Bacteroidia (擬桿菌綱)	Mammalia (哺乳動物)
Order	Chitinophagales (Chitinophagales)	Diprotodontia (雙門齒目)
Family	Chitinophagaceae	Phascolarctidae (Koalas)
Genus	Chitinophaga	Phascolarctos (Koalas)
Species	Chitinophaga rupis	Phascolarctos cinereus

Conservation Status

NE — Not Evaluated

koala

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~100.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute		koala
Diet	—	Herbivore
Average Lifespan	—	15 years
Average Length	—	75 cm
Average Weight	—	10.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Habitat

Native to Asia, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Found in Taiwan.

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.

Chitinophaga rupis is a member of the genus Chitinophaga within the family Chitinophagaceae, a lineage of Gram-negative, gliding bacteria in the phylum Bacteroidota. Species of Chitinophaga are ecologically important soil inhabitants defined by their capacity to enzymatically hydrolyse chitin, the second most abundant biopolymer on Earth. The name rupis, derived from Latin for rock or cliff, reflects the substrate from which this species was originally isolated. Like congeners, C. rupis possesses genes encoding chitinase enzymes that break down chitin from fungal walls and arthropod cuticle, releasing nitrogen and carbon into the soil environment and contributing to decomposition and nutrient cycling processes essential to terrestrial ecosystem function. The genus typically exhibits gliding motility on solid substrates, does not form spores, and is strictly aerobic under laboratory conditions. Members are widespread in soils globally, though individual species often show geographic or substrate-specific distribution patterns linked to their isolation source. Chitinophaga rupis is not assessed by the IUCN — as a bacterium it falls outside the scope of wildlife conservation listings. However, understanding the diversity and function of such soil bacteria is increasingly recognised as important for sustainable agriculture and ecosystem management, given their roles in decomposition, nutrient cycling, and suppression of soil-borne fungal pathogens.