Blackthorn Mining Bee vs

Andrena varians compared with Chrysococcus porifer

Key Differences

Blackthorn Mining Bee is Least Concern while is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Blackthorn Mining Bee
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Chromista (Chromista)
Phylum	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Ochrophyta (Ochrophyta)
Class	Insecta (Insects)	Chrysophyceae (Chrysophyceae)
Order	Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees & Wasps)	Chromulinales (Chromulinales)
Family	Andrenidae	Dinobryaceae
Genus	Andrena	Chrysococcus
Species	Andrena varians	Chrysococcus porifer

Conservation Status

Blackthorn Mining Bee

LC — Least Concern

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Blackthorn Mining Bee
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Blackthorn Mining Bee

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Luxembourg, Norway, and Sweden.

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Norway and Sweden.

Blackthorn Mining Bee

The Blackthorn Mining Bee (Andrena varians) is a species in the genus Andrena. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Distributed across Denmark, Luxembourg, Norway, and Sweden.

Chrysococcus porifer is a freshwater chrysophyte microalga in the genus Chrysococcus, class Chrysophyceae, order Chromulinales. The specific epithet porifer — meaning pore-bearing — describes the presence of pores in the lorica, the outer envelope that characterizes this genus. Pores in the lorica of Chrysococcus are distinct from the main flagellar opening and may facilitate exchange of dissolved substances between the cell and surrounding water, or they may serve structural functions. The pore pattern and lorica shape together constitute diagnostic characters for species identification in this taxonomically challenging group of microalgae. C. porifer has been documented from Norwegian and Swedish freshwater systems, forming part of the northern European chrysophyte fauna characterized through careful light and electron microscopy studies. These cold, often nutrient-poor freshwater habitats support distinct chrysophyte assemblages that differ in community composition from temperate or tropical equivalents. The species inhabits the limnetic zone of lakes and may also occur in slow-flowing streams and ponds. As a golden-brown alga with standard chrysophyte pigmentation, C. porifer photosynthesizes using chlorophylls a and c and carotenoid accessory pigments, contributing to primary production in its ecosystem. Mixotrophy — ingestion of bacteria and dissolved organic compounds — is also likely. C. porifer has not been formally evaluated under IUCN criteria and retains a conservation status of Not Evaluated, consistent with the general status of freshwater microalgal taxa for which population-level assessments are not feasible with current methods.