Golden Algae vs small tortoiseshell

Prymnesium parvum compared with Aglais urticae

Key Differences

• Golden Algae is Not Evaluated while small tortoiseshell is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Golden Algae	small tortoiseshell
Kingdom	Chromista (Chromista)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Haptophyta (Haptophyta)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Prymnesiophyceae (Prymnesiophyceae)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Prymnesiales (Prymnesiales)	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)
Family	Prymnesiaceae	Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)
Genus	Prymnesium	Aglais
Species	Prymnesium parvum	Aglais urticae

Conservation Status

Golden Algae

NE — Not Evaluated

small tortoiseshell

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

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

Habitat & Geographic Range

Golden Algae

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Brazil, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and United States.

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.

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.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 3 countries:

🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden