vs Common harp ground beetle

Chroococcus minutus compared with Amara communis

Key Differences

• is Not Evaluated while Common harp ground beetle is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank		Common harp ground beetle
Kingdom	Bacteria (Bacteria)	Animalia (動物)
Phylum	Cyanobacteria (藍藻)	Arthropoda (節足動物)
Class	Cyanobacteriia	Insecta (昆虫)
Order	Cyanobacteriales	Coleoptera (コウチュウ目)
Family	Microcystaceae	Carabidae
Genus	Chroococcus	Amara
Species	Chroococcus minutus	Amara communis

Conservation Status

NE — Not Evaluated

Common harp ground beetle

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute		Common harp ground beetle
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

Common harp ground beetle

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Found across Europe (5 countries) and North America (Canada, United States).

Chroococcus minutus is a cyanobacterium in the family Chroococcaceae, recognized as one of the smaller species in the genus. It is distributed in freshwater habitats across temperate regions, including Scandinavia and northern Europe, where it has been documented in taxonomic surveys of freshwater algae and cyanobacteria. Chroococcus species in general are characterized by their simple morphology — spherical or hemispherical cells, binary fission, and organization into pairs or tetrads within gelatinous sheaths. Chroococcus minutus occurs in the plankton and periphyton of lakes, ponds, and slowly flowing waters with low to moderate nutrient levels. Cyanobacteria of this type play roles in primary production and, in certain metabolically active strains, may contribute to nitrogen fixation in nitrogen-limited aquatic systems. The taxonomy of small-celled Chroococcus species remains challenging, with morphological overlap between species and significant variation in cell size related to environmental conditions and growth stage. Recent molecular studies have revealed that morphologically defined genera such as Chroococcus represent multiple phylogenetic lineages, indicating likely future taxonomic rearrangements. The species is not assessed by the IUCN.

Common harp ground beetle

The common harp ground beetle, <em>Amara communis</em>, is an insect belonging to the order Coleoptera, family Carabidae, the ground beetles. This species is distributed across Europe and North America, indicating a wide Holarctic range. Ground beetles of the genus Amara are typically found in a variety of terrestrial habitats including grasslands, agricultural fields, woodland margins, and disturbed areas. Members of this genus are generally omnivorous or seed-feeding, and some are known to consume weed seeds, giving them potential ecological significance in agroecosystems. <em>Amara communis</em> is assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, reflecting stable populations across its range. No dietary information has been provided specifically for this species in current records. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 3 countries:

🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden