vs Green Sea Turtle

Chrysochromulina throndsenii compared with Chelonia mydas

Key Differences

is Not Evaluated while Green Sea Turtle is Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank		Green Sea Turtle
Kingdom	Chromista (хромисты)	Animalia (животные)
Phylum	Haptophyta (гаптофитовые водоросли)	Chordata (хордовые)
Class	Prymnesiophyceae (Prymnesiophyceae)	Reptilia (пресмыкающиеся)
Order	Prymnesiales (Prymnesiales)	Testudines (черепахи)
Family	Chrysochromulinaceae	Cheloniidae (Sea Turtles)
Genus	Chrysochromulina	Chelonia (Green Sea Turtles)
Species	Chrysochromulina throndsenii	Chelonia mydas

Conservation Status

NE — Not Evaluated

Green Sea Turtle

EN — Endangered

Population: ~85.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute		Green Sea Turtle
Diet	—	Herbivore
Average Lifespan	—	80 years
Average Length	—	1.2 m
Average Weight	—	200.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Norway and Sweden.

Green Sea Turtle

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, and tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, among 8 distinct biome types. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Distributed across Australia, Brazil, Costa Rica, Indonesia, and Mexico. Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Chrysochromulina throndsenii is a marine haptophyte alga named in honor of a Scandinavian researcher, reflecting the strong tradition of haptophyte taxonomy in Norwegian and Swedish phycological institutions. The species belongs to the family Prymnesiaceae and shares the characteristic features of the genus: a biflagellate cell body, a haptonema of variable length, and a surface coat of organic scales arranged in overlapping layers. Scale ultrastructure observed under electron microscopy provides the species-specific diagnostic characters essential for accurate identification within this morphologically conservative genus. C. throndsenii is documented from marine coastal waters, consistent with the broader distribution of Chrysochromulina species in temperate North Atlantic environments. As a photosynthetic nanoflagellate, it contributes to primary production and participates in the microbial loop as both a producer and potential mixotrophic consumer of bacteria. The significant role of haptophytes in the marine carbon and sulfur cycles underscores their ecological importance despite their microscopic size. The conservation status of C. throndsenii has not been evaluated by the IUCN, and the species is listed as Not Evaluated. Expanded molecular surveys will be necessary to fully understand its distribution and evolutionary relationships.