vs small tortoiseshell

Chroococcus varius compared with Aglais urticae

Key Differences

is Not Evaluated while small tortoiseshell is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank		small tortoiseshell
Kingdom	Bacteria (Bacteria)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Cyanobacteria (Cyanobacteria)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Cyanobacteriia	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Cyanobacteriales	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)
Family	Microcystaceae	Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)
Genus	Chroococcus	Aglais
Species	Chroococcus varius	Aglais urticae

Conservation Status

NE — Not Evaluated

small tortoiseshell

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute		small tortoiseshell
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Norway and Sweden.

small tortoiseshell

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Found across Europe (41 countries). Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Chroococcus varius is a species of cyanobacteria in the family Chroococcaceae. The specific epithet varius, meaning variable or diverse, may reflect the morphological variability of this species across different environmental conditions, a characteristic shared by many cyanobacteria of the genus. Chroococcus species can show considerable plasticity in cell size, sheath color, and colony arrangement depending on growth conditions, which has historically complicated species-level identification. Chroococcus varius has been documented from freshwater and aquatic habitats, contributing to the diverse microflora of lakes, ponds, and slow-moving waters. Like other members of the genus, it consists of spherical cells in pairs or small groups enclosed within a gelatinous matrix. The cells perform oxygenic photosynthesis and contribute to primary production in their aquatic ecosystems. Cyanobacteria of the Chroococcaceae family are among the most ecologically generalist cyanobacterial groups, occupying habitats from polar regions to tropical freshwaters. Chroococcus varius has been recorded from European freshwater localities. The species is not assessed by the IUCN, reflecting the limited application of conservation frameworks to prokaryotic microorganisms.

small tortoiseshell

small tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae) is classified as Near Threatened (NT) on the IUCN Red List. Close to qualifying as threatened, with populations that may become vulnerable without conservation action.