Coastal Paper-bark vs Gray's Bald-faced Saki

Melaleuca halmaturorum compared with Pithecia irrorata

Key Differences

Coastal Paper-bark is Least Concern while Gray's Bald-faced Saki is Data Deficient.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Coastal Paper-bark	Gray's Bald-faced Saki
Kingdom	Plantae (植物)	Animalia (动物界)
Phylum	Magnoliophyta (木兰植物门)	Chordata (脊索动物门)
Class	Magnoliopsida (木兰纲)	Mammalia (哺乳動物)
Order	Myrtales (桃金娘目)	Primates (灵长目)
Family	Myrtaceae	Pitheciidae
Genus	Melaleuca	Pithecia
Species	Melaleuca halmaturorum	Pithecia irrorata

Conservation Status

Coastal Paper-bark

LC — Least Concern

Gray's Bald-faced Saki

DD — Data Deficient

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Coastal Paper-bark	Gray's Bald-faced Saki
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Coastal Paper-bark

Habitat

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

Gray's Bald-faced Saki

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Coastal Paper-bark

Coastal paper-bark (Melaleuca halmaturorum) is a shrub or small tree in the family Myrtaceae, native to southern Australia, particularly South Australia and southwestern Victoria. It grows in coastal and inland saline environments, including salt marshes, samphire flats, brackish wetlands, and the margins of ephemeral lakes. The species is highly salt-tolerant, often forming dense thickets that provide critical habitat for waterbirds, including migratory shorebirds. Its distinctive bark peels in papery layers, a hallmark of the Melaleuca genus, while small white bottlebrush-like flowers attract native insects and honeyeaters. Reaching up to 5 metres in height, it can persist through seasonal flooding and drought cycles. Coastal paper-bark plays an important ecological role in stabilising saline soils, reducing erosion along shorelines, and filtering nutrients from adjacent agricultural land. The IUCN lists it as Least Concern, reflecting its wide distribution across southern Australia. It is also cultivated as an ornamental in gardens tolerant of poor drainage and is considered valuable for ecological restoration in degraded coastal wetlands.