vs Comet Darner

Chroomonas placoidea compared with Anax longipes

Key Differences

• is Not Evaluated while Comet Darner is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank		Comet Darner
Kingdom	Chromista (Chromista)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Cryptophyta	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Cryptophyceae (Cryptophyceae)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Pyrenomonadales (Pyrenomonadales)	Odonata (Odonata)
Family	Chroomonadaceae	Aeshnidae
Genus	Chroomonas	Anax
Species	Chroomonas placoidea	Anax longipes

Conservation Status

NE — Not Evaluated

Comet Darner

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute		Comet Darner
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.

Comet Darner

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Found in United States.

Chroomonas placoidea is a species of cryptophyte alga in the family Chroomonadaceae, documented from freshwater and aquatic environments in Europe. The specific epithet placoidea may refer to a flattened or plate-like aspect of the cell morphology, from the Greek plakos meaning flat plate. Cryptophyte cells are frequently compressed or dorsiventally flattened, and small differences in cell shape and proportions are important characters for distinguishing species within the morphologically subtle genus Chroomonas. Chroomonas species are characterized by small cell size, typically ranging from five to twenty micrometers in length, with two flagella of unequal length arising from a ventral depression. The plastid occupies much of the cell volume and contains photosynthetically active pigments including chlorophyll a, chlorophyll c, and phycobiliproteins. Chroomonas placoidea contributes to primary production in its freshwater habitat and is part of the diverse microalgal community of European lakes and ponds. Like other cryptophytes, it may engage in mixotrophy under some conditions. The species has not been assessed by the IUCN, consistent with the general treatment of microalgal organisms in conservation frameworks.

Comet Darner

<em>Anax longipes</em>, the comet darner, is a large dragonfly in the family Aeshnidae, assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. It is endemic to the United States, where it inhabits lakes, ponds, and slow-moving rivers with clear water and abundant emergent vegetation. The comet darner is one of the largest North American dragonflies and is distinguished by its brilliant coloration, including a green thorax and a red-spotted abdomen in mature males. The species name longipes refers to its notably long legs. Adults are powerful aerial predators, feeding on a variety of flying insects captured in flight. Larvae are aquatic and predatory, developing in the benthic zone of freshwater habitats where they feed on invertebrates and small vertebrates. The comet darner undertakes seasonal dispersal movements and is most commonly observed near its breeding water bodies during the warmer months.