Altai Onion vs

Allium altaicum compared with Chrysosphaerella annulata

Key Differences

Altai Onion is Near Threatened while is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Altai Onion
Kingdom	Plantae (植物)	Chromista (クロミスタ)
Phylum	Magnoliophyta (被子植物門)	Ochrophyta (オクロ植物)
Class	Liliopsida (単子葉植物綱)	Chrysophyceae (黄金色藻)
Order	Asparagales (クサスギカズラ目)	Ochromonadales (Ochromonadales)
Family	Amaryllidaceae	Paraphysomonadaceae
Genus	Allium	Chrysosphaerella
Species	Allium altaicum	Chrysosphaerella annulata

Conservation Status

Altai Onion

NT — Near Threatened

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Altai Onion
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Altai Onion

Habitat

Typically found in grasslands, wetlands, forests, and cultivated landscapes.

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Norway and Sweden.

Altai Onion

The Altai Onion (Allium altaicum) is a species in the genus Allium. It is currently classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in grasslands, wetlands, forests, and cultivated landscapes.

Chrysosphaerella annulata is a colonial freshwater chrysophyte microalga in the genus Chrysosphaerella, class Chrysophyceae. Unlike unicellular loricate chrysophytes, Chrysosphaerella species form spherical or ellipsoidal free-floating colonies in which individual cells are embedded in a common gelatinous matrix. The individual cells bear long siliceous scales with distinctive ring-like or annular structures — referenced by the species epithet annulata — projecting outward from the colony surface, giving the colony a spiny appearance under microscopy. These siliceous scales are species-specific and their morphology, as revealed through electron microscopy, is the primary character for identifying Chrysosphaerella species. C. annulata has been recorded from Norwegian and Swedish freshwater environments, consistent with the Scandinavian emphasis in chrysophyte research and the high diversity of chrysophytes in boreal freshwater systems. Chrysosphaerella colonies are planktonic, inhabiting the limnetic zone of oligotrophic to mesotrophic lakes where they may form locally conspicuous populations during favorable conditions. The species uses chlorophylls a and c with fucoxanthin for photosynthesis, contributing to primary production. Chrysosphaerella scales can accumulate in lake sediments, providing a record of past community composition and environmental conditions. C. annulata has not been assessed under IUCN criteria and is classified as Not Evaluated. Its documentation contributes to understanding the diversity of colonial chrysophyte forms in northern European freshwater ecosystems.