vs Common Seal

Chroococcus cohaerens compared with Phoca vitulina

Key Differences

is Not Evaluated while Common Seal is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank		Common Seal
Kingdom	Bacteria (Bacteria)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Cyanobacteria (Cyanobacteria)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Cyanobacteriia	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Cyanobacteriales	Pinnipedia (Seals & Sea Lions)
Family	Microcystaceae	Phocidae (True Seals)
Genus	Chroococcus	Phoca (Harbor Seals)
Species	Chroococcus cohaerens	Phoca vitulina

Conservation Status

NE — Not Evaluated

Common Seal

NT — Near Threatened

Population: ~500.0K

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

Attribute		Common Seal
Diet	—	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	—	30 years
Average Length	—	1.7 m
Average Weight	—	80.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Habitat

Native to Asia and Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Norway, Sweden, and Taiwan.

Common Seal

Habitat

Typically found in diverse ecosystems where prey species are available.

Range

Found across Europe (7 countries) and North America (United States). Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Chroococcus cohaerens is a species of cyanobacteria in the family Chroococcaceae, documented from freshwater and aquatic environments. Chroococcus is a genus of small, spherical to hemispherical cyanobacterial cells that typically occur in pairs or small groups of two to four cells, surrounded by individual sheaths that are embedded within a common gelatinous matrix. The cells are dark olive-green to blue-green in color due to the presence of phycocyanin and chlorophyll a pigments. Cyanobacteria of the genus Chroococcus are common components of the periphyton and plankton of nutrient-moderate freshwater bodies in temperate regions. They are found attached to submerged substrates or floating in the water column. Chroococcus species have been documented from a wide range of geographic regions including Scandinavia, where many of the described species in this genus were originally characterized. The species has no significant economic importance and is not considered a bloom-forming taxon. Its conservation status has not been assessed by the IUCN, consistent with the general approach to prokaryotic microorganisms in conservation frameworks.

Common Seal

The most widely distributed pinniped, harbor seals inhabit temperate and subarctic coastal waters of both the North Atlantic and North Pacific. Adults reach up to 130 kg and spend roughly equal time at sea hunting fish, squid, and crustaceans and hauling out on beaches or rocks to rest. Their large, expressive eyes are adapted for underwater vision in low light. Harbor seals are a critical food source for orcas, sharks, and polar bears.