vs Long-tailed Chinchilla

Chrysosphaerella longispina compared with Chinchilla lanigera

Taxonomic Classification

Rank		Long-tailed Chinchilla
Kingdom	Chromista (โครมิสตา)	Animalia (สัตว์)
Phylum	Ochrophyta (Ochrophyta)	Chordata (สัตว์มีแกนสันหลัง)
Class	Chrysophyceae (สาหร่ายสีทอง)	Mammalia (สัตว์เลี้ยงลูกด้วยน้ำนม)
Order	Ochromonadales (Ochromonadales)	Rodentia (อันดับสัตว์ฟันแทะ)
Family	Paraphysomonadaceae	Chinchillidae
Genus	Chrysosphaerella	Chinchilla
Species	Chrysosphaerella longispina	Chinchilla lanigera

Conservation Status

NE — Not Evaluated

Long-tailed Chinchilla

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute		Long-tailed Chinchilla
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.

Long-tailed Chinchilla

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Distributed across Colombia, Denmark, and Ecuador.

Chrysosphaerella longispina is a colonial chrysophyte alga in the genus Chrysosphaerella, notable for the long silica spines (longispina: Latin, long spine) that project from each cell in the colony. The genus is characterized by spherical or discoid colonies of photosynthetic cells that each secrete siliceous scales and elongated spine-like appendages, making Chrysosphaerella colonies distinctively bristled and visible under light microscopy. The long spines of C. longispina likely serve as anti-predation structures that make the colonies more difficult for zooplankton to ingest. C. longispina is found in cold, oligotrophic freshwater lakes, particularly in Scandinavia, where comprehensive chrysophyte surveys have documented its presence. Chrysosphaerella colonies contribute to freshwater primary production and the cycling of biogenic silica, which upon cell dissolution is deposited in lake sediments as microscopically identifiable remains. These silica structures are widely used by paleolimnologists to reconstruct past changes in lake water chemistry, thermal stratification, and climate. The conservation status of C. longispina has not been assessed by the IUCN; the species is listed as Not Evaluated.