Bisam, Bisamratte vs

Ondatra zibethicus compared with Chrysococcus radians

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Bisam, Bisamratte
Kingdom	Animalia (Tier)	Chromista (Chromista)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordatiere)	Ochrophyta (Ochrophyta)
Class	Mammalia (Säugetiere)	Chrysophyceae (Goldbraune Algen)
Order	Rodentia (Nagetiere)	Chromulinales (Chromulinales)
Family	Cricetidae	Dinobryaceae
Genus	Ondatra	Chrysococcus
Species	Ondatra zibethicus	Chrysococcus radians

Conservation Status

Bisam, Bisamratte

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Bisam, Bisamratte
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Bisam, Bisamratte

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (8 countries), Europe (37 countries), North America (United States), and South America (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile).

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Brazil, Denmark, and Sweden.

Bisam, Bisamratte

The Bisamratte (Ondatra zibethicus) is a species in the genus Ondatra. Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

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.