vs Eurasian water shrew

Chroococcus minutus compared with Neomys fodiens

Key Differences

is Not Evaluated while Eurasian water shrew is Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank		Eurasian water shrew
Kingdom	Bacteria (Bacteria)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Cyanobacteria (Cyanobacteria)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Cyanobacteriia	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Cyanobacteriales	Soricomorpha (Soricomorpha)
Family	Microcystaceae	Soricidae
Genus	Chroococcus	Neomys
Species	Chroococcus minutus	Neomys fodiens

Conservation Status

NE — Not Evaluated

Eurasian water shrew

EN — Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute		Eurasian water shrew
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

Eurasian water shrew

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Russia, and Sweden. Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Chroococcus minutus is a cyanobacterium in the family Chroococcaceae, recognized as one of the smaller species in the genus. It is distributed in freshwater habitats across temperate regions, including Scandinavia and northern Europe, where it has been documented in taxonomic surveys of freshwater algae and cyanobacteria. Chroococcus species in general are characterized by their simple morphology — spherical or hemispherical cells, binary fission, and organization into pairs or tetrads within gelatinous sheaths. Chroococcus minutus occurs in the plankton and periphyton of lakes, ponds, and slowly flowing waters with low to moderate nutrient levels. Cyanobacteria of this type play roles in primary production and, in certain metabolically active strains, may contribute to nitrogen fixation in nitrogen-limited aquatic systems. The taxonomy of small-celled Chroococcus species remains challenging, with morphological overlap between species and significant variation in cell size related to environmental conditions and growth stage. Recent molecular studies have revealed that morphologically defined genera such as Chroococcus represent multiple phylogenetic lineages, indicating likely future taxonomic rearrangements. The species is not assessed by the IUCN.

Eurasian water shrew

Eurasian water shrew (Neomys fodiens) is classified as Endangered (EN) on the IUCN Red List. At high risk of extinction in the wild, with significant population decline and ongoing threats to survival.