vs koala

Chrysolykos angulatus compared with Phascolarctos cinereus

Key Differences

is Not Evaluated while koala is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank		koala
Kingdom	Chromista (хромисты)	Animalia (животные)
Phylum	Ochrophyta (охрофитовые водоросли)	Chordata (хордовые)
Class	Chrysophyceae (Золотистые водоросли)	Mammalia (млекопитающие)
Order	Chromulinales (Chromulinales)	Diprotodontia (двурезцовые сумчатые)
Family	Dinobryaceae	Phascolarctidae (Koalas)
Genus	Chrysolykos	Phascolarctos (Koalas)
Species	Chrysolykos angulatus	Phascolarctos cinereus

Conservation Status

NE — Not Evaluated

koala

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~100.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute		koala
Diet	—	Herbivore
Average Lifespan	—	15 years
Average Length	—	75 cm
Average Weight	—	10.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Norway and Sweden.

koala

Habitat

Typically found in grasslands, forests, and vegetated habitats.

Range

Found in Australia. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Chrysolykos angulatus is a unicellular freshwater chrysophyte microalga in the genus Chrysolykos, class Chrysophyceae. The genus Chrysolykos is a small and specialized group within the golden algae, distinguished by its unique lorica structure — a rigid outer envelope enclosing the cell that bears distinctive angular or geometric features. The species epithet angulatus — angled or angular — directly references the characteristic angular profile of this species' lorica, distinguishing it from related species with more rounded forms. C. angulatus has been documented from Norwegian freshwater environments, consistent with the concentration of Chrysolykos species records in Scandinavian limnological surveys. These cold, typically nutrient-poor freshwater systems provide favorable conditions for chrysophyte diversity. The species inhabits the photic zone of freshwater lakes and ponds, where it contributes to primary production as a photoautotroph. Like other chrysophytes, C. angulatus possesses chloroplasts with chlorophylls a and c and fucoxanthin-type carotenoids, producing the golden-brown coloration typical of the group. Chrysolykos cells are small nanoplankton organisms whose exact ecological role in freshwater food webs is not well studied, though they likely participate in bacterial grazing and serve as food for small zooplankton. The genus is rarely encountered in high abundance and is considered a minor component of most phytoplankton communities. C. angulatus has not been evaluated under IUCN criteria and is listed as Not Evaluated, reflecting the general status of freshwater microalgal taxa for which detailed population data are unavailable.

koala

Iconic marsupial of eastern and southeastern Australia, koalas weigh up to 15 kg and spend up to 22 hours daily sleeping to conserve energy from their low-calorie eucalyptus leaf diet. Highly specialized to process toxic eucalyptus compounds that would kill most other mammals, they have gut microbiomes uniquely adapted for detoxification. Listed as Endangered in 2022, with populations decimated by chlamydia disease, habitat clearing, and climate change.