vs Coiban Mastuff Bat

Chrysococcus radians compared with Molossus coibensis

Key Differences

is Not Evaluated while Coiban Mastuff Bat is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank		Coiban Mastuff Bat
Kingdom	Chromista (Chromista)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Ochrophyta (Ochrophyta)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Chrysophyceae (Chrysophyceae)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Chromulinales (Chromulinales)	Chiroptera (Bats)
Family	Dinobryaceae	Molossidae
Genus	Chrysococcus	Molossus
Species	Chrysococcus radians	Molossus coibensis

Conservation Status

NE — Not Evaluated

Coiban Mastuff Bat

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute		Coiban Mastuff Bat
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Brazil, Denmark, and Sweden.

Coiban Mastuff Bat

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Distributed across Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela.

Chrysococcus radians is a freshwater chrysophyte microalga in the genus Chrysococcus, class Chrysophyceae, order Chromulinales. The species epithet radians — radiating — describes a lorica with radiating spine-like projections or extensions emanating from the central body of the outer case, a morphological feature readily distinguishable under light microscopy. Radiating processes on chrysophyte loricas are thought to increase the effective surface area of the cell, potentially slowing sinking and maintaining the organism in the illuminated photic zone of freshwater lakes. C. radians has been documented from Norwegian and Swedish freshwater systems, with additional records from Denmark, consistent with a broader northern European distribution of this species. Scandinavian lakes, particularly the oligotrophic highland lakes of Norway and Sweden, harbor diverse chrysophyte communities in which Chrysococcus and related genera are frequently dominant components during spring and autumn mixing periods. The species inhabits the limnetic zone, where it engages in photosynthesis using the characteristic golden-brown chrysophyte pigments — chlorophylls a and c combined with fucoxanthin. Like other genus members, C. radians may also practice mixotrophic feeding on bacteria and dissolved organic matter, providing nutritional flexibility in oligotrophic environments. Siliceous stomatocysts produced by chrysophytes can survive in lake sediments and provide paleolimnological records of past environmental change. C. radians has not been evaluated under IUCN Red List criteria and is classified as Not Evaluated.

Coiban Mastuff Bat

The Coiban Mastuff Bat (Molossus coibensis) is a small free-tailed bat in the family Molossidae, named for Coiba Island off the Pacific coast of Panama, where specimens were first collected. Members of the genus Molossus are robust, fast-flying insectivores adapted to open-air foraging above the forest canopy and over water, characterised by narrow wings and a tail that extends beyond the patagium (wing membrane). Molossus coibensis inhabits lowland tropical forests and adjacent open habitats in Central America and northwestern South America, with confirmed records from Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, and Panama, indicating a distributional range that extends well beyond its type locality on Coiba Island. Like other mastiff bats, it roosts in crevices within buildings, rock faces, and hollow trees, emerging at dusk to pursue aerial insects at speed. The species feeds primarily on large beetles, moths, and other night-flying insects, typically hunted high above the forest. It is assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN based on its relatively wide range and tolerance of modified habitats. Molossus coibensis was long treated as a subspecies of Molossus molossus before being recognised as a distinct species based on morphological and molecular evidence. Ecological and life-history data specific to this taxon remain limited.