Living BeingsCompare species
Fission Yeast
Schizosaccharomyces pombe
African Savanna Elephant
Loxodonta africana
Evidence from the profiles
Compare their characteristics
| Trait | Fission Yeast | African Savanna Elephant |
|---|---|---|
| Physical traits | Cells are elongated, often with rounded ends. A dividing cell forms a transverse partition near its middle. | Broad ears, a long trunk and column-like legs give the animal its familiar outline. The trunk tip has two finger-like projections. Both sexes can develop tusks. |
| Habitat and range | The species has been recovered from fermentation-associated materials and is maintained on defined laboratory substrates. | Savannas and open woodland provide a shifting mixture of browse, grass, shade and drinking water. Seasonal water availability influences the places that herds use. |
| Diet and nutrition | Organic nutrients, including sugars, support growth. Carbon source and nutrient availability influence physiology. | Grasses, leaves, bark and other plant material make up its diet. The trunk gathers food and moves it to the mouth. |
| Behavior and activity | Cells extend at their tips and coordinate growth with nuclear division and septum formation. | Female relatives and their young form long-lasting social groups. Older females hold knowledge of familiar routes and resources; adult males have a different pattern of association. |
| Reproduction and life cycle | Vegetative cells reproduce by fission. Mating and meiosis under suitable conditions lead to spore formation. | Calves are born alive and depend on milk and extended social care. Learning from other elephants is an important part of growing up. |
| Geographic distribution | Research and fermentation records occur in different regions, but these should not be treated as a complete map of natural populations. | Native to sub-Saharan Africa. This account follows the savanna-elephant species concept rather than treating all African elephants as one species. |
| Ecological role | The fungus forms part of microbial communities associated with organic substrates and fermentation. | Feeding and movement alter vegetation, and dung transfers seeds and nutrients. Habitat fragmentation and killing for ivory threaten populations. |
| Distinctive adaptations | A regular rod-shaped growth cycle has made changes in cell-cycle control experimentally observable. | Data unavailable |
Classification
Shared ancestry
Closest shared taxon: Opisthokonta.