Living BeingsCompare species
Maize
Zea mays
African Golden Cat
Caracal auratus
How to compare two organisms
Choose two species and trace their closest shared group. Then compare a trait with the same definition on each side. Check the units, life stage and context before interpreting a measurement or range.
Missing data means that the collection lacks a sourced value. Where a characteristic does not apply to a lineage, the comparison labels it separately. Open the two profiles for context and follow their sources before drawing a conclusion.
Evidence from the profiles
Compare their characteristics
| Trait | Maize | African Golden Cat |
|---|---|---|
| Physical traits | An upright stem carries broad leaves. Tassels form near the top, while ears develop in leaf axils. | The body is robust and the coat varies between reddish and grayish forms. Spotting can be more visible on some parts of the body. |
| Habitat and range | Cultivation depends on suitable warmth, light, water and soil conditions. Different cultivars are adapted to different growing environments. | Dense African forest and secondary growth provide cover and hunting habitat. |
| Diet and nutrition | Leaves produce sugars that support growth and developing kernels. Mature grain stores substantial reserves for germination. | Rodents and other forest mammals are important prey. Birds and additional small animals may also be taken. |
| Behavior and activity | Flowering and grain filling respond to seasonal conditions. Wind moves pollen between tassels and receptive silks. | It is generally solitary and difficult to observe in dense cover. Sparse observations should not be treated as a complete account of its daily behavior. |
| Reproduction and life cycle | A seed germinates into an annual plant. Fertilization through the silks leads to kernels on the ear, each representing a separate developing grain. | Data unavailable |
| Geographic distribution | Maize is cultivated widely outside its American domestication region. Agricultural range should be distinguished from native wild-relative distributions. | The Mammal Diversity Database v2.5 records this species in Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Cote d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Republic of the Congo, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Benin?, Burundi?, Gambia?, Guinea-Bissau?, Kenya?, Rwanda?, Senegal?, Sudan?, Togo?. |
| Ecological role | Maize is central to agricultural food webs and supplies food and habitat for many associated organisms. | Data unavailable |
| Distinctive adaptations | Domestication has concentrated large numbers of kernels on ears, accompanied by extensive cultivar diversity. | Data unavailable |
| Conservation | Preserving landraces, breeding resources and wild relatives is different from assessing crop abundance. | Data unavailable |
Classification
Shared ancestry
Closest shared taxon: Eukaryota.