vs Fly Agaric

Anathece smithii compared with Amanita muscaria

Key Differences

is Not Evaluated while Fly Agaric is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank		Fly Agaric
Kingdom	Bacteria (Bacteria)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum	Cyanobacteria (Cyanobacteria)	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)
Class	Cyanobacteriia	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)
Order	Synechococcales (Synechococcales)	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)
Family	Prochlorococcaceae	Agaricaceae (Agarics)
Genus	Anathece	Amanita (Amanitas)
Species	Anathece smithii	Amanita muscaria

Conservation Status

NE — Not Evaluated

Fly Agaric

LC — Least Concern

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

Attribute		Fly Agaric
Diet	—	Decomposer
Average Lifespan	—	1 years
Average Length	—	20 cm
Average Weight	—	100 g

Habitat & Geographic Range

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Found in Sweden.

Fly Agaric

Habitat

Typically found in forest floors, decomposing wood, and soil ecosystems.

Range

Widely distributed across Europe (4 countries), North America (United States), Oceania and the Pacific (New Zealand), and South America (Brazil, Chile, Colombia).

Anathece smithii is a colonial cyanobacterium forming small, irregularly rounded colonies embedded in mucilage in freshwater environments. It inhabits eutrophic to mesotrophic freshwater bodies including lakes and ponds across temperate regions. This photosynthetic prokaryote contributes to phytoplankton communities and nitrogen cycling in freshwater ecosystems.

Fly Agaric

Among the most iconic and recognizable fungi on Earth, fly agaric mushrooms display striking red caps with white flecked warts across boreal forests of the Northern Hemisphere. Despite their fairy-tale appearance, they contain potent psychoactive compounds including muscimol and ibotenic acid and are moderately toxic. They form critical mycorrhizal symbioses with birch, pine, and spruce trees, exchanging mineral nutrients for carbon and playing essential roles in boreal forest nutrient cycling.